Wings of an Elfin warrior
by Slea
Summary: While on duty for batman in Gotham, Nightwing accidently brings in help from another demention.
1.

Wings of an Elfin Warrior Chapter 1

Wings of an elfin warrior.

By Cyndi Smith 

Chapter 1

He had stopped just out side the city limits and looked over what was becoming the newer more modern Gotham. It seemed like yesterday when he had looked across at the old concrete jungle with the innocent eyes of a nine-year-old circus performer. It was then he realized that he was in the field where his parents had died. How strange it seemed for him to be here, and not even realize where here was. He hopped off his motorcycle and walked over to the area the big top had been. It was as if he could hear the sound of the calliope and the crowd as they mingled in the background. There were now wild flowers growing in the area where the animal pens had been kept. He seated himself on the sandy ground and unconsciously dug at it. When his gloved hand rubbed against a stone, he used it to continue digging. He wasn't certain how long he had been playing, but he suddenly became aware of a steady beep coming from his glove. Still clutching the stone, he lifted the cover to the small computer compartment hidden inside.

"Nightwing here, what d'ya need?"

"Is that anyway to say hi?" Barbara pouted.

"Sorry. Hi, beautiful, what d'ya need?" he grinned.

"That's better, but not by much," she laughed. "Where are you? You were expected at the cave over an hour ago. What happened, you fall asleep? You do remember sleep right?"

"You care, I am flattered. Tell papa bat I'm on my way." He smiled, although he seemed distracted by the strange glass-like rock in his hand.

"Are you ok? Really?" she asked noticing the strange look on his face. "I know you've been under a lot of stress lately."

"Yeah. I'm fine. The bridge was up on Gotham Parkway, so I bypassed it through Parker's Field and got distracted by a memory."

"If you need to talk, you know where to find me. And since lucky you will be in the neighborhood, I'll even put the hot cocoa on." She tried to smile knowing all too well what the memories were.

"I'm ok, Babs, really. I got in some good memories, and I found this really cool stone." He smiled like a little boy who was showing off a treasure. 

"A crystal." She returned.

"Huh?" 

"That is not a stone. It's some kind of crystal. I can't say I've seen anything like it. It's quite beautiful." 

"Yeah? I knew that, Mr. Wizard. I was just testing you. But if it'll buy me a night with a beautiful and studious red head, then it's yours. I'll bring it over when I come for the coffee talk later. Gotta run." With that, he tucked the item into the cuff of his boot, climbed onto his bike and roared off into the shadows of the dark city he had once called home.    
  
  
  


It had been a while since Nightwing had run the rooftops of Gotham. Strange how different it felt being alone up here. But Bruce had asked him to help with a case that involved some unknown person and his very elite army who was taking over much of the drug and underground cartels that Batman had worked so hard to demolish in Gotham. The thing that was bothering the Dark Knight was the fact that this faceless monster was already making way to spread his "family" through the country. Similar incidents of takeovers had

happened in Metropolis, Central City and a few other major cities along the east coast. 

"Bruce was going to be out of town for a few days," he thought to himself. "So I have double duty . . . one day here, one day in Bludhaven, one day in New York, if necessary, not to mention my day job . . . but luckily it's a three-day weekend for me. So, daytime is bedtime. Man, I love my bed. I miss my bed." 

Suddenly he caught sight of a flash of light through the skylight of the Museum.

"Can the nostalgia, Grayson. We've got action." He activated the connection to Babs as he jumped from the Gotham towers to the rooftop of the Museum in the cultural district of the city. "Hey Babs, you know anything about a 2 am showing in the Museum on Downing Street?"

"2 am? Nope, nothing scheduled. Shall I call in the Calvary?"

"No, tell the 'Calvary' if he isn't asleep at 2 am, he'd better be cramming for the physics exam tomorrow. Man, these guys are good! Full cover," he announced as fully camouflaged burglars continued to meet in the foyer. At least 6 . . . 10 . . . no . . . how many rooms are in here, Babs, do you know?"

"Twenty-three, not including the restrooms, offices, and labs; strictly showcases. Why?" 

"They keep showing up in twos . . . if they wanted a full search, 2 men per room . . . they . . . " Dick almost didn't notice the guy come up from behind him. He wasn't really sure what set off his internal alarms, but he looked up in time to see at least 6 dark figures closing in on him. He managed to roll from beneath the swung baseball bat at the last minute, coming up from under one man and connecting hard on his manhood.

"Oh, that's got to hurt," Dick mumbled to himself, dodging the next man, then flipping over a third. He couldn't believe how good these guys were, and yet they all seemed to be just using basic bar-brawling techniques. No sooner had he taken one down when three more came in. He'd take down three, and the ones that went down before would pop up like they had their batteries recharged, then barrel in on him. This was embarrassing. His only option was to retreat and return with help, but first he would have to get away. 

He had failed. He was going retreat, and there were only 6 of them. How many times had Batman told him that when you were distracted, you wouldn't be completely aware of your enemy? He guessed he goofed again. He felt the first blow connect to his already sore ribs. Another hit him squarely across the back, sending a painful burning sensation to every part of his body. Everything seemed to slow down almost to a stop. That was when a third man tackled him, sending them both back into the sunroof, down the three stories to the marble floor and the small army of bad guys below. 

Maybe the total numbness was a blessing because the unexpected tackle knocked the wind out of him, taking any fight out of him. At the moment, the man still clung to him as they both fell unceremoniously into the chandelier, which nearly knocked him out. He was fairly sure he broke something in the fall, and for some reason, everything started to have a red glow to it. He couldn't even remember how to breathe. On the upside, he never recalled the impact to the floor. He wasn't able to move quickly enough to avoid the onrush of blows that followed his entrance. Alarms and lights started sounding and he wasn't sure if the blaring was outside or inside his head. 

Somehow, he had managed to get up. If he was going to die, he would die fighting. He wobbled back and forth, blocking blow after blow. His vision was blurred, but he swung and kicked at anything that came within range. "I wish I had help now," he heard himself say as his foot connected to another man's jaw.

That made it three men down and 20 or 40 more to go. He really couldn't tell because some of them seemed to fade in and out of his sight. Twice, he kicked out his foot and missed the men completely. Unfortunately, the men connected with solid hits to his rib cage and three more good blows before he closed his eyes and swung. Strange, but he was finally able to deflect a real fist from a real person, and not a ghost that he thought he was seeing but was really not there. He thought he heard Babs say the cops were on their way and to get out. It sounded like a great idea, but suddenly the room filled with a brilliant light. Then something seemed to explode outward with a force he had never felt before, and everyone in the room was tossed about like rag dolls.

He wasn't sure how long he was out, but he could hear the sirens closing in. He looked up to find a blurry vision of a beautiful woman with eyes of blue staring down at him. Her auburn hair was trussed in a braid, laced with leather tresses and feathers tied tightly behind her pointed ears. The bright light faded behind her. "Wow, an angel . . . " he thought, " . . .a Vulcan angel." His Vulcan angle was dressed in a tunic of hunter green and leather pants that would have made Mr. Spock blush. Her chain mail linked loosely over them, and she wore a cape of heavy wool.

"Live long and prosper," he giggled, accepting the strong possibility of the hallucination being caused by the injuries he had sustained. "But first I have to get out of here or there is going to be big problem."

He tried to move, and the world seemed to come to an abrupt halt, then started spinning in a new direction. "Ooohh . . . or maybe you should just beam us up," he mumbled as he began to fall. It was then that he realized the hallucination caught him and guided him back against the wall. "You're real?"

"As are you, I suppose. I am S`lea of Meric, Royal Knight to . . . "

"Look, we'll have time for introductions later. We need to get out of here. Those guys aren't going to like finding me . . . us here."

"As you have called me here, I will do as you wish. As long as your cause is just, it will become mine. As for those who hunt you, by my honor as a Royal Knight of Meric you will not be harmed further. I shall decorate the castle with their heads," the "angel" announced as she drew her weapon, a large sword she had kept strapped to her back. "They will die this night."

"Whoa! Unless you can set that thing on stun . . . " he yelped weakly, trying to hold onto her so she wouldn't attack the cops. "Please put it away. No, no . . . killing. We're on the same side. Really! It's just they can't find us, or I'll be in trouble." He struggled to stand, mostly being held up by this blurry female version of Mr. Spock. "Please . . . promise me . . . no killing . . . just help me . . . help me get to the roof . . . I've got to get to safe . . . ty." He tried to lift his arm to shoot off a jumpline, but he had no strength left. He just collapsed in her arms.

She stared out at the strangely colorful lights that flashed through the windows. Someone yelled, "Come out with your hands up, or we'll send in the dogs!" She stared at her surroundings and at the unconscious men around her, as well listening to those making threats outside the unfamiliar lodging into which she had been brought. Then she looked up at the broken crystal-like ceiling that "was as almost as high as the castle wall of Meric itself," she whispered as she set her new charge down.

"I do not think these are the people you think they are," she whispered to the limp figure that lay at her feet. The sounds of angry hounds filled the doorway. "It would have been easier to fight." She raised her arms over her head and brought them down slowly to her sides. As she did, the area around her began to engulf her in a fog. The dogs had been released. They barked incessantly, but were unable to penetrate the fog. Suddenly, there was a screech, and a great force of air broke through the wall of fog. With a yelp, the dogs turned tail and ran back out the way they came.

"What the hell?" growled a shabbily clad cop in an overcoat. "Commissioner, we're going to have to use gas. They just zapped the dogs or something." Just as he was about to give the order to fire the gas canisters someone screamed, "HOLY SHIT!"

Gunfire erupted from the cops almost instinctively. Above the Museum was a huge beast of mythical size. It screeched with such force that the ground crew had to drop their weapons and cover their ears. The commissioner noticed the creature holding something in its claws. "Hold your fire!" he shouted, grabbing the binoculars from the car. 

"What's it got, Commish?" growled the man next to him as it began to fly away. 

"Nightwing," he whispered. "Let's get to the station. I've gotta make a call."    
  



	2. 

Chapter 2 

Chapter 2

The creature landed somewhere among the hills of Gotham in the dense woodlands. The fog returned, and as it dissipated, the warrior who called herself S`lea lay beside the injured warrior. She rolled over on her side and slowly managed to raise herself to her knees. The masked man to whom she had sworn allegiance was in a great deal of pain. He seemed to have sustained no more wounds than before she had changed. She pressed her hand gently across his eyes, but the mask he wore would not allow her to help him. So she removed it.

"My eyes, but you are a handsome one! I do not understand why you hide such beauty," she sighed. "I do not know why you led me here. To be honest, I do not understand much of your world, but if this is where you feel safe, then this is where I shall take you." He began to struggle beneath her hand. She could sense his pain and wished she knew a way to take it from him, but the best she could do was return him to the darkness that had hidden him from it instead.

"Forgive me," she whispered as she lifted him in her arms and began to carry him through the wooded growth. "We must hurry. I sense trouble." The young woman found herself talking to the unresponsive body as she stumbled through a wooded vale. "I sense the foolishness of coming here, my lord, and yet as always, I continue," she mumbled as she looked again at the unconscious man she cradled in her strong yet dainty arms. His unmasked face was bruised and ever so slightly swollen. Still, his handsome features were prominent.

As she came out of the woods, she found her feelings had led her to the side of a great hill. She sat the body on the damp ground and looked for a cavern or something to indicate why she still felt like she was to go straight into the mountain.

"Are you some sort of wizard that you can change yourself into a tiny creature? There is not even a rabbit hole here. It would be of great help if you would awaken. Then, even if you could not shrink us both, you could at least shrink yourself. You are starting to get heavy." 

She suddenly felt threatened. Someone was coming. Someone who did not want her around. She drew her sword from its shoulder harness and held it with great ease in front her. 

"I know you are there, shadow walker. Show yourself or leave us be. I do not have time for games."

"Leave the boy and go!" a disembodied voice demanded. "And you won't be harmed."

"I'll not leave this warrior in the company of ghosts." She laughed. "I can assure you I will not be harmed by a shadow. He is my charge and is under my protection. This I have sworn as a Royal Knight of Meric when he called me through the light." She took a stance between the warrior and the one she called shadow walker. As she did her eyes became black as coal with not a speck of color left in the orbs. The air seemed to calm so that even the smallest of creatures seemed to hush as the challenge was made.

She saw a little pebble fall at her feet. Did he think she could be intimidated by throwing stones? She did not know weather to laugh or be angered. Then it began to smolder and burn just at her feet.

"So the shadow walker is a sorcerer," she acknowledged and with a wave a hand the pellet returned to its owner. "I too can play that game."

This time it exploded began to billow a thick fog. She saw the shadow jump from its hiding place. As it did, she confronted this all too human spirit. 

"As you can see, I too can play that game as well. Show yourself, or are you a coward as well as a wizard? Face me as a warrior, or by Gods' spit, there will be nothing left of you for the Dark One to take back to Hell with him." She felt two other presences come up behind her as the shadow emerged from the thicket. She stepped over the body of 'her charge.' With her back to the proverbial wall, she waited. "You two," she acknowledged the source of the sensations of worry coming from behind her. "I know you are there. Show yourselves."

"I thought it was me you wanted to fight," growled the shadow walker.

"I was not the one who cast the first stone," she returned. "Twas you. If you insist that I fight the three of you, so be it. I doubt the old one nor the squire will be much of challenge since they do not have the element of surprise anymore." Suddenly, the wounded warrior began to struggle with the pain of his injuries. She knelt to his side placing her hand over his eyes. The man stopped struggling and returned to the peace that came with unconsciousness.

"Enough." The eldest man emerged from the shadows 

"Alfred!" shouted the squire, clad in a brightly colored uniform, as he emerged from the bush behind the older man. The shadow walker, too, moved towards the confusion. She waved her hand outward at the shadow, and his attempt to use the moment of chaos as a distraction failed, for now he found himself frozen in place. 

"He could die while you two continue to fight," the older man growled. He stepped as close to the wounded warrior as the stranger would allow. "I only wish to help. Is that not why you brought him here?" the man insisted. 

"I only took him where he wished to go," the Knight replied, still holding her blade between the elder and her charge. 

"So he asked you to bring him here?" 

"No, not in the way you speak. He was injured and has not spoken since he asked for my help. The Castle Rangers attacked us with their strange weapons," she informed him, "so I brought him where his heart felt safe. I followed his true way."

Alfred just raised his eyebrows. Then bending down, he checked Nightwing's pulse. The stranger's blade stayed just millimeters from his throat. "He is alive," he said aloud as he stood again. "Young lady, if you are going to use that, then be done with it. If not, sheath it. We mean you no harm."

"I was not the . . . "

" . . . the one who started this fight." He glared over to Batman, whose scowl only deepened if anything. "So you have said. But you did trespass on private property, and in doing so, you provoked the situation. The one you call 'shadow walker' is my master, Batman. He is the knight of this realm, and the boy you have returned is Nightwing, the master's son. If you can read hearts, then you know my words are true. So as you see, your quest is done, and you may return to your own realm."

Almost too quickly to believe, she returned the sword to its harness, and her eyes began to look normal. "What you say is true." She paused. "I have returned him to the love of his family and beg forgiveness, your Lordship." She waved her hand outward releasing Batman from the spell. She knelt before him. Then collapsed unconscious to the ground.

"My word," Alfred whispered as he reached to her side. "She was wounded."

"How's Nightwing?" Bruce worried.

"He has some broken ribs and seems to have taken a severe blow to the head. There is blood in his ears," Alfred answered, still working on the young "Knight" who had taken Wayne Manor by siege. "And it appears she has lost a great deal of blood. She should be alright." He quickly returned to the immediate care of the more pressing injuries of the child he thought of as a grandson.

"Good, they can treat her at Arkham," Batman growled. "Robin, cuff her. I'll take Nightwing below and be back to take her in. "

Stunned, Alfred rose quickly. "I don't believe that Arkham is necessary," he stated protectively.

"Look at her. She's running around Gotham thinking she's some kind of knight of the realm."

"Excuse me sir, it might have been the cowl, but it sounded to me as if you said she should be locked away because of the way she's dressed." Both men ignored the unintended giggle that slipped from Robin.

"You know exactly what I mean," he returned. "What exactly do you expect me to do with her?" 

"I expect you to do nothing with her. I expect you to pick up Master Richard and bring him in so I can better treat him and I expect . . . Robin can pick her up." 

"You cannot truly believe I am going to let her down there . . . "

"After all, Alfie, for all we know, she could've been the one who hurt Nightwing," Robin added. "She sure stopped . . . uh . . . us in our tracks." He did not dare to look at Batman. 

"If that is what is bothering you both, then may I remind you that she not only released you from whatever she held you by, but she also asked for your forgiveness. And if that is not enough to sway you to do the proper thing, may I remind you that you have allowed others below who have been less noble about their quests. Now if you do not wish her here, then I will take her to Doctor Thompkin's clinic. Robin, stay with her until I return with the car."

Alfred excused himself and began to walk back to the Manor. Bruce stopped him. This next move was insane. It went against every fiber in his being, every survival instinct he had. Yet what was he supposed to do? Alfred would never do anything to bring harm to him, and if she was there, at least he could keep a closer eye on her. So he agreed to take her to the Manor, for now. 


	3. 

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"He's coming to," Tim announced.

"Geesh," Dick moaned, "not so loud."

His attempt to move was stopped by a firm pair of hands against his shoulders. "That's far enough, young man. You will not be going anywhere for a while."

The sound of bats echoing in the distance got Dick's attention. 

"Alfred?"

"Yes." 

"I'm in the cave! How? Who?"

"What do you remember?" he returned, his voice soft and gentle like a spring rain.

Dick thought for a minute. "Being pushed through a skylight, then hitting a chandelier and not hitting much more after that but the wall and the floor." His hand slowly maneuvered to his head and followed the bandage that circled it, which even covered his eyes."How bad?" the young man whispered with only a hint of worry in his voice.

"A skull fracture. A severe concussion, 7 fractured ribs, not including the three floating ribs, here on the right side. It is also my guess not all of your fractures and bruises are from last night. You really have been getting yourself hurt too often. Master Tim will keep you company while I go get Doctor Thompkins. She wants to run some tests on you while you are awake."

He listened to Alfred's footfall as it slipped away.

"Skull fracture? Hmm… that would explain why I was seeing people who weren't there." He laughed. "Seemed like I was swinging at everything and missing it all by a mile."

"That doesn't do much for the image," Tim smiled.

"It got better. At one point, I was having really blurry visions of stuff out of a science fiction movie, a Vulcan female, a Klingon bird of prey," he mumbled. "Guess I was really wigging out."

"Maybe not so wigged out as you think, bro," Tim acknowledged. 

"What do you mean?" the wounded man asked, as he appeared to lose all the color in his face.

"See, when you lost communications with Babs, she called Bruce. He never made it to Metropolis. I was told to meet him here in case he needed backup, and not to leave until he was sure it wasn't just a break in communications. You and I know both know he figured whatever it was that took you out would be more than I could handle." 

"Stupidity took me out. I wasn't out numbered or out gunned. I screwed up," he growled. He tried to move, but quickly regretted that decision as he clasp his fist against this head, hoping to get the world to stop spinning out of control. He lay back and continued. "One screw up after another. I seem to be really distracted lately, and I let someone get behind me…By the time I heard them, it was too late. Next thing I knew, I was struggling with some behemoth in a three-story free fall. Babs was right. There's too much going on in my life. With the PD, Bludhaven, the Titans and helping out here, I can't seem to make a move without screwing up," the older boy admitted. Sounding as if he might fall asleep any moment, he whispered, "I still don't know how I was able to get away. Please tell me I let the car's computer bring me back and not actually attempt to drive it myself." 

"Actually, the car's still in town. Someone brought you back to the manor, a woman with pointed ears like a Vulcan." 

"Oh, God." Dick turned sheet white.

"It's okay. She said you didn't tell her anything. She said she just followed your heart." He watched as the injured man seemed to turn even whiter still and began to struggle. 

"I think I am going to be sick," he whispered.

"It's ok, really!" Tim told him as he began to worry for his friend as Dick moved around. "We know she hasn't said anything because she's upstairs. Dick, you have to calm down." He hit the 'panic' button by Dick's bedside, hoping Alfred would hurry down.

"No! I really think I'm going to throw up," he rasped. Tim managed to help him to a sitting position, and a second set of hands turned him gently to his side before he began to heave. The injured boy barely caught his breath before it began again. Tim just watched in disbeliefas Bruce stood there while his son unknowingly emptied the contents of his stomach all over his designer suit. By the time he was done, the one-time Robin was too weak to even remain conscious.

Alfred and Leslie showed up shortly after Bruce did. The doctor placed medication into Dick's IV to stop the vomiting from reoccurring. Dick was gently laid on his side while Leslie continued to do a quick exam. She shook her head as she checked the shaved part of his scalp. Experts would need to be called in come morning. It looked like there was no choice. Suddenly, alarms started going off all around.

Intruder alert.

Intruder alert.

Everyone turned to find a woman standing at the top of the stairs, holding her ears to stop the loud noise and strange lights that flashed through the dark.

"What are you doing out of bed?" Leslie asked, as the computer was quieted.

"And how did you find this place?" asked another voice.

The young woman who was all too willing to fight just 16 hours ago looked as if she might cry. Her eyes seem to fade from solid black to the beautiful dark blue, which made her almost look human. Alfred placed an extra blanket over her shoulders and helped her to the chair by the console.

Bruce growled as she stared around the cave. "I want answers young lady. I want them now."

She suddenly reflected back the directness and fearlessness that he was showing. "You are the one who wears the mantel of the bat," she commented in a matter-of-fact manner back at Bruce. She watched as Leslie looked

beneath the strange tunic she awoke wearing. Leslie couldn't believe her eyes. There was no wound where she had been shot and no sign of a scar. 

"I will ask you just once more, and then I will take other measures to find out what I want to know." Both Alfred and Leslie were about to object, but Bruce stopped them with a look. "Who are you? What are you and where do you come from?"

"My name is S`lea, Royal Knight to the throne of Meric. I am elfin, or at least part elfin. My soul is split in two. On my world, I am a warrior of great means. Even when I was a mere foundling, I needed for nothing, for the man who would be my father was the greatest warrior in all of Meric and my adopted brother his equal. I was called to your world by the magic of your son."

"He has no magic. What are you talking about?"the one she knew as the shadow walker insisted. 

"I was searching for a demon from my world named Golnac, a dark one with great powers and an even stronger power over humans.He had vanished in the woods just east of the village of Brookdonnie. I had been searching the woodlands for many a tri-sun, when a light appeared before me and beckoned me to go through it. The strength of his need and the good of his heart pulled me through the portal. That is how I knew he was the one who called me."

"By his heart?" Alfred confirmed curiously.

"And what if I told you I don't believe you?"Bruce scowled.

"I would say I am not here for your approval," she returned. "You are not the one who I called nor are you the one I swore my sword to. As for the sword, I would like it returned."

"I am sorry, but I cannot allow you to run loose in my city with that weapon. I will return it when I feel you are not a danger to anyone."

"Then it is best you hold onto it, for you are quickly becoming my enemy.

I have not done wrong by you. I do not understand why you treat me like this."

"I don't trust you," he replied quite bluntly.

"You do not trust yourself. If you allowed someone to break through the shields you put up around you, you might get hurt as before. Despite what you want others to believe, I do not factor in your trouble, except you do not understand me."

For a moment, she thought she heard him laugh, but it vanished as quickly as it came. "And what makes you say that. MY HEART?"

"Understand this, Milord," she growled as her eyes changed back to black," I do not lie nor is this a trick. Anyone can read a heart if they are only willing to open their own. Even a closed heart can feel the pain of loss. It is best to leave yours open so one might recognize the glory of happiness when it comes. This cavern holds many secrets, the least of which is the fact that you are not as dark as you would have all around you believe." 

Leslie scoffed for a moment at the child's directness, but then sat down and continued to listen.

"I know you are the master of this land and that is your young squire," she pointed at Tim, who stood next to Bruce. " The healer is as important to you as your mother, and the servant is that of father figure, even if you do not say that you love them as much if not more than your own parents because in a way you feel abandoned all others." This comment started to get a rise out of Bruce, but she refused to let him speak.

"The darkness can not hide the truth from anyone

willing to seek it. I know your son Nightwing is behind that wall. You have kept him at arm's length since you realized the pride you had for him. All this I have learned by reading the pure power of you heart. As you could not keep these secrets from me, know that I will find my sword as well."

"Your words and assumptions are based on what you were told last night. How do you know what you were told is true?" 

"Because your heart tells me it is so," she replied, suddenly becoming aware of the large wall of blinking lights in front of her.

"Then it lied to you. Because Nightwing is not my son," he barked, slapping her curious hands away from the computer.

"No. Your heart cannot lie. No true heart can," she stated. "He may not, by birth, be your child, but only a fool cannot see that by the heart, you are adjoined as one as a father to his first-born son. You can lie to others and try to lie to him. You can even hurt him to keep him away, but it only gives you a greater pain that you try to avoid."Her words left everyone speechless as she walked away and wandered to the infirmary. Only Tim followed her. 

"S`lea, he only wishes to protect you. Please don't be angry," he whispered as he watched her gently stroke her hand down from Dick's face and shoulder to his fingers. 

"I am not angry; trust me you would know if I were. I understand too well what he feels." She quickly changed the subject. "Tell me, squire, will the healer be able to help him?" she asked, still watching in amazement as the boxes of lights beeped and hummed, as if speaking through the tethers that were attached to the unconscious man. 

"I…uh… We don't know, considering how bad the injuries are. They'll be taking him in to the hospital soon," he answered unsure she was even listening. The silence between them made the monitors seem horribly loud.

She finally looked up and smiled. Gently sliding her hand across the trail of a stray tear that shown on the young squire's face, she finally broke the silence. "Such strength in such a young man. Have heart my friend. Morning will find him stronger. Do not lose your faith too soon."

"Can you help him?" Tim inquired. "Can you heal his wounds like you did your own?" 

"I do not think so."

"But earlier... you helped him."

"I am not a healer. Although I do know the basics of healing, all I did was steal his pain by shutting down his mind. It is quite temporary. I have had to learn many simple tricks. My brother and His Highness, my Lord Keirn, not to mention his brother Prince Dusty, quite oft needed attending." 

"The Prince's NAME was Dusty?" Tim coughed. Trying to hold off laughing. 

"That was not his real name. It was the name given to him by his adopted parents and my true brother, who had found him long before he was returned to his destiny. At the time, no one knew he was the Bastard Prince, Ryan Mikal, who all thought had died many years earlier, only to find he was raised as a farmer's slave until his masters were murdered. He spent almost a Fort-season alone in the woods with only Gayden for company … so needless to say the name suited him. Few would dare call him by it save for friends. Dusty is not unlike Milord Nightwing in looks and mannerisms. He is strong of heart even when his arms betray his strength.

Nightwing is a strong name. It has a beautiful almost graceful air about it. I believe it too suits him," she smiled. 

"And like your prince's, it's not his real one," Tim blurted out.

"ROBIN!" The sound of Bruce's disappointment echoed through the cave, sending the bats scattering through the dark caverns. 

Tim just slapped his head with his hand. 

Alfred took "Miss S`lea" back to her room, insisting that she get some rest and that come the new day, things might be able to be explained more in depth.

She could tell if he had anything to say about it, they would. 

He returned to find Batman giving his young protégé a piece of his mind and a homework assignment, a book report on why it was so important not to give clues about their identities to strangers. Tim knew better than to point out the fact that the woman had seen all of them unmasked, not to mention the fact that she had spent the night at the Manor of the Dark Knight's alter ego. Tim made his good-byes, requesting that he be called if there were any changes in Dick and saying he would return as soon as possible.

The boy had barely left when a face came over the computer. The mask known as Oracle quickly faded and was replaced by the beautiful face of the Commissioner's daughter, Barbara Gordon. 

"How is he?" That wasn't what she had planned to say. That wasn't even why she called she thought, but it was too late now. Everyone and their brother was going to begin to think she was worried half to death over him. Well, they would be right. 

"He is resting …" Bruce returned. "We will know more in the morning." 

"Well, I got the numbers you asked for and fastest flight plans. I also have a message from Dad who is a little more than worried about "Nightwing." He tried to contact you last night, but you never showed up.

So he contacted the JLA. Guess he doesn't keep up on all the superhero gossip," she quipped. 

"I hope you told him I am no longer affiliated with that organization."

Babs ignored the jab… she understood too well his feelings on the subject. But now was neither the time nor the place for debate.

"He said that he thought Nightwing might be in trouble…" 

"Well, he didn't call that one wrong. Still, unless Gotham is crashing to the ground again, I am not available for consultation. All I want to worry about is Dick and making sure he's going to be ok. Then, I will find this "person" and make certain it never happens again. If you were able to get copies of the tapes from the security cameras, download them to the computer. I'll look at them later. Right now, I have other pressing matters." He started to turn away, uncomfortable with the emotions he was experiencing, but he knew Barbara was struggling with them as well. Dick Grayson had become a very important light in their world. He was the light of their lives even when it seemed there would never be light again. He couldn't just walk away from her now. 

"You should know that Dick will probably be going in for surgery in the morning," he whispered, as if caught up in an unwanted reality. Then, as if to hide his inner conflict, he changed the subject. "If you would, call in an anonymous tip to the police about an auto accident. They'll find an unoccupied over turned Porsche off Dead Man's Curve just south of Wayne Manor. I suppose I'll see your father soon enough." He felt the unwelcome tears begin to well up in his eyes. He didn't know what to say to her. He wasn't comfortable with this feeling; he just didn't want to care about anyone the way he did about Alfred, Leslie, Dick, Barbara and Tim. He didn't want to live with that pain again. He couldn't face her any longer. "I have to go now. Thanks Barbara." He tried to smile as he shut of the viewer, but the tear had already begun to fall. As soon the screen went black, his mind filled with images of all the other people in his life that left him. All the people he tried to push away but it never worked. How he felt when a little blue-eyed boy walked into his life and stole the lock he used to keep his heart safe from harm. That little boy that who no matter what he did to separate him from his feelings managed to wedge himself in with a smile that dulled the sunlight. The little boy that no matter how hard he pushed him a way he was always there when he needed him even after he had grown into a young man. A young man that because of his loyalty to him May never be able to do any of the things he loved and lived for. 

He looked back at the medical lab where Dick slept as his mind filled with all his most hated memories and thought, "Yep, the Bruce Wayne curse strikes again."He collapsed into the chair and cried. 


	4. What a difference a Slea makes

  
Chapter 4  
  
Wayne Tech executive Lucius Fox gave the media an official statement.   
It read: "Dick Grayson, former ward of Bruce Wayne, was believed to have lost control of his vehicle on the icy roads that led to the Wayne home. All drug and alcohol tests were negative, and the police department is looking into some threats that had been made to the Wayne family earlier in the month. An investigation is also being made by the Bludhaven Police Department, as Mr. Wayne's heir has been an officer there for about 6 months. Officer Grayson's partner had no comment when approached, but acknowledged his performance as an officer had been above reproach.   
  
Mr. Grayson is in serious but stable condition at Gotham Medical Center. He will be undergoing surgery this morning. Mr. Wayne has been at the hospital since his ward was admitted as well as family friends and City Commissioner James Gordon with his daughter Barbara. Security at the hospital has become tight, due to the possibility of any attempts on the Wayne family's lives."  
  
Days turned into weeks. Dick had been home for most of them. He was released to Leslie's care as soon as he was out of serious condition. The only real problem was his eyesight. Most of the wounds healed quickly, and short of tying him to the bed, he could be found wandering back and forth through the halls almost every day.   
  
S`lea had become a welcome guest as far as Alfred and Tim were concerned. Even Barbara liked her. She had taken her clothes shopping for a day of "girl stuff". With her ears hidden behind her long brownish-red locks, she looked like she stepped right out of the sixties and seventies. She had been dressed in her leather breeches and a t-shirt belonging to Dick since the day she had come to the Manor. Barbara got a laugh at S'lea's reaction the first time she saw herself in a mini dress. It was a simple straight-line dress with a beautiful sheer cover. It was quite flattering to her figure, but she swore the storekeeper must have lost part of the frock, for there was nothing covering her legs. She settled for a couple pairs of jeans, jogging pants and an assortment of shirts. And they talked as they lunched at a mall diner in the food court.   
  
S`lea enjoyed the ale they served. "Its taste is like the waters of Calous," she announced. "Does it have healing magic too?"  
  
"I wish," Babs laughed, sloshing her Diet Kola. "No, no, healing magic, but if you drink enough of it, you really care that you hurt."  
  
She looked up to see that look. She had seen that look before. The shadow, the one that was always followed by The Question: "Does it hurt?"   
  
It would not be the first time it was asked in the last week, let alone the last couple years. Dick, Tim and Alfred already explained the wheelchair long before they met. They even used Bruce's old chair to explain to S`lea how it worked. But the first day they had met, she seemed only to stare as if a question was going to burst from her at any moment. But she never said anything, only smiled and stared. It was obvious that she was told to keep all questions until after Barbara had left.  
  
"S`lea we are alone. If you want to ask me a question, then go ahead. I can probably answer them better then the guys do, and I promise I won't tell anyone." S`lea looked at all the people in the restaurant, and then stared back at her confused.   
  
"I mean, the guys aren't here to stop you from asking what's on your mind. You're obviously curious about something. Go ahead and ask."  
  
"In my world, there are so many wonderful things that will either heal you or kill you. Your world's magic, it could not heal you?"   
  
Babs smiled into her glass. "No. S`lea, the chair is something I will have to deal with for the rest of my life. It took a while, but I accepted that long ago."  
  
"Then I do not understand. If you are so accepting of this fate, why do you blame him?"   
  
"Blame whom? For what?"  
  
"His lordship...Nig..."  
  
"Dick, S`lea, his name is Dick," she interrupted, "and I don't blame him. He wasn't even around when this happened."  
  
"No, he told me that, and it haunts him nightly. But that is not what I meant. You love him, yes?"   
  
Barbara didn't know whether she was getting angry or curious to know where this was going. After all, Tim and Alfred both claimed that she was very good at seeing past the illusions. "Yes, I care very much for him."  
  
"I am sorry I have angered you. Let us...uh...change the subject." Tim had taught her the tactic of changing the subject. He said it was often used to divert the opponent when you have said something wrong or they asked a question that could not be answered with out bringing harm to others. Looking down at her food she smiled. "I like this. What do you call it? Uh ... hamburger."  
  
"No, let's not change the subject. I want to know what you seem to think I blame him for," Babs snapped. "Did he tell you I blamed him for something?"  
  
"Godspit, NO!" she coughed. She paused a moment when she realized she had attracted attention once again, then stretching slightly across the table she whispered "Your name does not cross his mind that he doesn't hold you close to his heart. You are the one who has expressed this."  
  
"I never said any such thing," Bab's objected.  
  
"With your mouth, maybe not, but with your heart. It is quite plain."   
She set down the hamburger and took another swallow of ale as if it were water. "Your blame lies not for your inability. It is for his ability."   
  
"WHAT?"   
  
"Is not the reason you do not tell him your true feelings is that you believe he cannot understand what you feel because he still does the things that you so yearn still to be able to do?" By now Barbara's face was as red as a fire truck. She felt like the whole room was lost in a staring contest and their table was the point of interest.  
  
"I, uh ... how dare... I've gotta go." She backed away from the table, practically attacking a passing waiter with her charge card. "I'm sorry, I have an appointment I forgot all about. Will you please find our waiter and have him cash us out? I have to go."  
  
S`lea picked up her packages and quickly followed behind her. "I am sorry. I have upset you. I thought you said..."  
  
"I just remembered an appointment." Barbara lied. " I have to go."   
  
She got halfway through the mall's garage when it hit her. Why the hell was she trying to lie to this woman? She just point blank stated the reason she was afraid to get close to the man who she professed in her heart professed to love, or to anyone else for that matter. Was she still bitter? She stopped, and turned to the elfin warrior. Tears had already begun to flow from her eyes "OH GOD," she squeaked   
  
S`lea kneeled down and wiped them with her calloused fingers. "I am sorry, Milady."   
  
"No, no, you were right. You are right." She sniffled. " I ... oh God, poor Dick, no wonder he walks on eggshells when he's around me. I'm such a jerk." S`lea tilted her head in a questioning manner. "I'm sorry, S`lea. It was unfair for me to take this out on you. You and I both know you're right. It's just that I don't like to be so easily read."   
  
"I have not been harmed, but may I ask you a question?"  
  
"I, ah, um... yeah, I guess ... sure," she answered. Bracing herself for another dose of reality, she looked at the kneeling warrior dead in the eye.  
  
"Why do you have eggshells on your floor?"   
  
The sound came out as a choke at first. Then she began to laugh. It was uncontrollable. She flung her arms around the one-time stranger's neck and laughed.  
  
Yes, S`lea had become a guest in the Manor, since she couldn't return to her realm without Nightwing's help, and Dick had no clue how to return her. She was to become a more prominent figure. As for Bruce, he just ignored her. If anyone asked, she was a relative of Alfred's who was visiting Gotham. This was not a difficult concept for the young warrior to comprehend. It was a common belief in her world that all life forms had a common bond, so to her this would not be a lie. She helped Alfred when he would let her because she loved to learn about the wonderful magical machines this world had. She loved to ride in the iron carriages and loved the fact they could fly in the bellies of great iron beasts and still step out of them unscathed. She was becoming really impressed with the washer and dryer. She would spend hours just watching the clothes spin around and around.   
  
In the afternoons Tim would come by and he and Dick would spar. Other times, S`lea would spar with them. She was proficient with a bowstaff, but even blind, Dick was faster and more accurate. She became very good with many of the "bat weapons." What she didn't know, she was quick to learn. She claimed that in her world, they had similar weapons.   
However, she still preferred her sword.   
  
S`lea even professed to have some gifts of magic, but it would tire her to use them. She told them that she could only use them if she felt there was no other choice. Claiming that because she had not been raised with the knowledge of her powers, she had to be trained in the use of them. "I am as a child born with a painful ailment who will go through life without worry of that ailment or its pain because that will be the only world known to him. Magic is an ailment. It is not unlike fire burning within. There are those who are born knowing how to ignore it. Others, such as myself, must be taught to use it. Still in a fight, pain can be a formidable friend." She admitted to missing her world, but for the most part she believed that she must have been sent for a reason or she would have been returned to her realm.  
  
Most of the time, she could be seen following Dick around the house.   
Her skills of stealth even astounded Bruce. She had been able to walk up on him more than once since she had become his "guest". But as Alfred so brilliantly pointed out, he had been greatly distracted with young master Dick and his current condition that everything that was Batman seemed to disappeared from Bruce's life. Bruce had been true to his word. Nothing was more important than Dick's recovery. Batman had seemed to vanish that night, and had not been seen since. It was nearly three weeks before Bruce even returned to work as Bruce. He was met with mounds of paperwork and floods of phone calls, most of them false concerns on the condition of the "kid" he had taken in.  
  
This lack of activity didn't last. He had left the house on the day   
Dick was to have the bandages removed against his better judgment. Somehow, deep inside, he didn't think it was a good idea. But for now, he did what they asked even though he knew better.   
  
  



	5. Slea and the magic doll

Chapter 5   
Slea and the Magic Doll  
Bruce had returned home around dusk. He had left the office as soon as he received the call from Alfred that Dick's last appointment with the doctor had not gone as well as been expected. Dick had secluded himself from everyone. The helicopter trip seemed to last forever. He couldn't help but think he should have stayed with him till he had been released; nothing was more important than Dick's health. He had lost one son, and it scared him how close he had come to losing another. He knew he had to get over his fear. It was the same feeling that had driven this boy away all those years ago. He had wanted to stay home, but he could sense that Dick was becoming overly agitated by his presence, and everyone had been so sure this would be the day things got back to normal that Dick practically pushed him out the door.   
When he called Leslie to confirm the diagnosis, she agreed to come over so they could work out other options that were available.   
When the helicopter had finally landed, he found Alfred in the kitchen.   
"Alfred, Leslie will be joining us for dinner tonight."   
"Very well, sir," Alfred replied, looking noticeably tired.   
"Where is Dick? In his room?" Bruce inquired further.   
"No, sir, I believe you will find him in your den," Alfred replied. "The sun has started setting. He seems to like to think he is watching it."   
Bruce found him leaning against the open door frame of the patio doors. The last of the sun was fading from the sky, and the cold breeze was coming across the harbor.  
"Nice cologne, Bruce," Dick laughed half-heartedly, "but it's a bit strong. You couldn't sneak up on a blind man with that stuff on."   
"Dick..." Bruce coughed uncomfortably. "I heard about ... I know about..." Bruce turned away from the blank stare of the young man, who had snuck into his heart. He searched for comfort in his parent's portrait that hung over the fireplace. "I've called Leslie and asked her to join us for dinner tonight, so that afterwards we can go over the alternatives. I haven't given up, and I don't want you to. Barbara and I have already ..."   
"STOP IT, BRUCE!" Dick growled. "Just stop it. It's not a matter of giving up. It's a matter of acceptance. I am blind... ACCEPT IT. I screwed up, and now I have to pay the price. ACCEPT IT."   
"Dick, it wasn't...   
"Yes, it was, Bruce," he quickly rebutted. "I overloaded my plate, and now I am paying for it. Do I need to spell it out for you? The sky is not blue, it's black." He turned away from his surrogate father, hoping to hide the tears he thought he had defeated. "The grass is not green, it's black. The sun is not yellow it's black. Alfred's roses are black. Everything is black. And no amount of money will change that."   
He found his sunglasses and quickly put them to hide the tears that threatened to fall. "You once told me that every move I make will have an affect. You do it right, you win. You screw up ... you lose and possibly so does everyone else around you." He swallowed, feeling strangely happy that he couldn't see his mentor's eyes. "I screwed up. Accept it."   
Bruce felt suddenly vulnerable. He knew nothing he could say or do would change the anger and self-loathing his son was feeling. He turned to leave, only now noticing the young elfin warrior. Sitting quietly on the floor in the corner, neither confirming nor denying she had heard anything. She just acknowledged Bruce as a knight might acknowledge a Lord in his own palace and continued to stare out the window as the final pulses of fading sunlight were pushed from their spots in the sky by the stars.   
Bruce quickly left the room via the grandfather clock. Dick recognized the scraping sound it made when it was pushed open. He wasn't sorry he said the things he had said. At least he didn't want to be sorry. He was tired of trying to keep up with everyone's expectations of him ... or maybe it was his own expectation of himself. It didn't really matter it. It had needed to be said. He needed to know that Dick Grayson was finally accepting his fate. The anger built to a fire deep inside he had hoped his yelling would have eased some of the churning, but he realized that it wasn't enough. He picked up the closest thing to him, which happened to be a million dollar Ming vase, and tossed it. He didn't hear it hit anything, and this startled him.   
"I was an angry child, too," S`lea announced, placing the vase back in his hand, quickly removing it and placing back on its pedestal. "Though I was much younger."   
"Who asked you? and what are you doing eavesdropping?" Dick growled back, trying to hide the fact she had caught him totally off guard.   
"I have dropped nothing ... I merely sat in the corner while you took your anger on your father," she returned. "In my world, the elfin people have magic dolls to help them to control their anger."   
"I don't recall asking," Dick muttered.   
"You don't recall manners either, but sometimes they are necessary," she calmly replied.   
"Listen and maybe you will learn something. In my world the elfin people go through what they call Dar. It is a form of anger when the eyes turn black, and the elfin people react totally by instinct. We cannot lie nor can we hurt anyone physically when under the influence of Dar. That is unless they are believed to be a threat. Because of that we have to be taught the difference between right and wrong, good and bad. A child is taken into the fold at an early age and taught to control the anger, which is a part of all children. But the elfin village I came from had been slaughtered. I didn't have a family and was unwanted by most of the village."   
"Sorry," Dick whispered knowing a similar emptiness that came with being alone in a big world.   
"No need for sorrow, I was raised by a warrior not much different from your father. My mother was a very wise woman who found someone to teach her the ways of my people so that she could one day teach me. He gave her a doll, and when I was old enough to lose my temper, she gave it to me."   
"A doll?" Dick smirked.  
"Not just any doll, a magic doll that was bonded to me by blood. Her head was made of the finest wizard's clay, and her body of the softest fabric. She had soft green eyes that seem to twinkle and the brightest of smiles. When my mother gave it to me, she said I was no longer allowed to yell at her, my father, my brother and most certainly not the Prince. Prince Kern was nearly injured the first time I lost my temper."  
"One day, I had become angry with my brother for going out with the king on a hunting expedition instead of teaching me to wield a sword as he had promised. He had even made me a wonderful practice sword of the strongest kesselwood. I ran to my room and exacted my anger out on the poor doll. The first time I yelled at it, the statement on the face just turned blank ... but the more I yelled, the worse things would become. By the time I was done, the arm and leg had fallen from the doll.   
"At first I was startled, then I was frightened, for I had damaged my most prized possession. I ran to my mother begging her to fix it for me. She said she could not, that it was a magic doll and could only be repaired by the one who had damaged it. So she gave me a needle and thread. I was not much more than an infant and had never used a needle. As I tried to sew, I would poke myself, get angry and begin to cry and yell again. I quit many times, but eventually I would comeback to the doll and try again. I cried as I sewed, all the time begging it to forgive me."   
"Many suns had set before I had finally fastened the parts back together. Because of my youth, the stitches were huge and awkward, but the smile had returned to the face of the doll. Many times I lost my temper, and many times I had to repair the doll, but the damage would become less and less the as I managed to control my temper."   
"Then one season my mother was killed. I had been off playing warrior in the woods, and my brother and father were at the castle, so she was alone. Again, I lost control. I started screaming. I was angry with everyone and did not care who knew. I did not seek out my doll. Instead, I took out my wrath on my brother and my father and anyone else who tried to interfere. That night, I packed my bags to be moved into the castle, and when I found my doll she was in shreds on the floor. It was the first time I realized what I had done, and I fell to the floor in tears. When my brother and the prince came to pick me up, they found me still on the floor, trying to sew the doll together. I refused to leave, but they forced me, leaving my doll on the floor still in pieces.   
"I spent the next day trying to apologize to all whom I hurt with my anger, and they said they accepted it. But in my heart, I knew that was not enough, so that morning when they awoke in the castle, I was gone. I had returned to the house, sat on the floor and continued to try to repair the doll. I knew that I did no honor to my family or myself by my words, so I tried to make it right by my deeds. Three tri-suns (a tri- sun is a nine day week) it took me to repair her. Some pieces were so damaged that I had to replace them, but I had sewn the damage pieces into the new fabric. Then finally, she was complete. Despite the skill I had attained by then, there was nothing I could do to hide the patches and the scar-like stitching. I placed her clay head back onto the body, and the smile returned. I still carry the doll with me as a reminder of how my anger affects those I love."   
Partway into the story, Dick had found the overstuffed chair and listened uncomfortably at the tale. "So what you are trying to say is because I opened my mouth before thinking, and even though I didn't mean for it to come out the way it did, I still hurt Bruce. And no matter how often I apologize and how often he forgives me, the scars of our words will always be there."   
"Maybe you are not as blind as your eyes would have you believe," she returned.   
"Maybe people in your world are perfect, but not here on this world. We don't have magic dolls. We just lash out at whatever or whoever is closest."   
"Yes, there are those of us who do believe that they are perfect on our world, and I know more of anger than you will ever have to deal with. But even here, there must be other ways to release such destructive energy. "   
"So what do you do when you don't have the doll with you? What do you do when no one wants to listen to you no matter what you say? What do you do when you feel like the world is crashing down around you?"   
"I face my inner beast," she announced in a matter-of-fact tone. "For some reason my Dyeta can express better the needs of my soul. Mine is not so different a life than what your father lives, or you."   
"Why are you here, S`lea?" he asked, feeling a bit angry at the honesty of her words.   
"You brought me here with your magic, Sire," she replied   
"I HAVE NO MAGIC," he argued, and then he quickly calmed his voice. "Maybe one of the other men called you through."   
"That would have been impossible. Their hearts are black. They could not have produced the light I voyaged through to get here."   
"Has this ever happened before? You being taken from your world to somewhere else?"   
"Only once before have I found myself pulled through the light. But it was not to another world. It was to the Lair of the Dragon Mage so that I might complete transformation."   
"Transformation?"   
"The ability to change..." she stated simply, "...into my Dyeta. My other self."   
"Your other self?" Dick repeated, totally lost.   
Before she could reply, Tim who had come up from the Cave said it for her. "A dragon," he announced.   
"A dragon?" Dick asked, not sure he had heard him correctly.   
"Like Garfield, she can change her form to a dragon. Don't ya get it, Dick? S`lea, the Vulcan, and the Bird of Prey are all one and the same," he chirped.   
"I am not a bird nor am I a Vulcan," S`lea announced, frustrated "I have told you, I am Elfin."   
Dick chose to ignore the warrior. It would be much easier for Tim to explain later.   
"Bruce received the tapes," Tim continued excitedly, "from the security cameras of the museum almost two weeks ago, but had not gotten a chance to look at them till now. It shows everything."   
"What is a ...tape from a security camera?" The young elfin knight quarried.   
"It's a copy of what happened at a certain place and time, and you can play it to make sure you don't jump to conclusions," he explained. "It's like a crystal ball. It tells us what happened, understand?"   
"Uh huh. Aah, what is a crystal ball?"   
"Come on, we'll show you," Tim laughed.   
She turned to Dick, who appeared to be upset about something again.  
"My lord Nightwing, are you coming?"   
"S`lea! I am not your lord. My name is Dick... Dick Grayson. I am not a lord. I am not a warrior. And I am not Nightwing, I am nothing," he announced as they watched his anger fade again. "I am nothing." He quickly turned to head out the door of the den, when S`lea growled back at him.   
"Tell me, Sire. What kind of thread does one use to mend wounds of the soul that are self-inflicted?" Then without another word she followed young Tim to the dark caverns below.   
Tim and S`lea quietly traversed the stairwell to find Bruce, Leslie and Alfred watching the halo screen of the Bat Computer.   
Alfred looked at Bruce and back to Leslie. They watched again as the young woman on the video changed to a huge beast, and then like a child cradling a doll, lifted the wounded Nightwing and flew through the skylight, leaving just a shower of broken glass and building material in the camera view.   
"My word," Alfred breathed. "I cannot believe that is same child in the Manor."   
"Uhhumm." They all turned around to find S`lea still staring at the tape and a red-faced Tim Drake looking quite stunned and embarrassed for both of them.   
"Forgive me, Lady S`lea, that was not intended to sound as gauche as it might have."   
She didn't seem to be paying attention to them, but instead looked the holoscreen in front of her. It looped automatically and replayed everything from the beginning just prior to the break-in. After the replay, she turned to the group who stared curiously at the amazed woman before them.   
"Your Lordship," she bowed slightly and stepped up to Bruce. "Please, I beg of you, release my sword. I must return to that place." She stared black-eyed back at the screen as it returned to beginning of the loop. "He is... was there. I cannot believe I did not smell his foul stench before."   
Bruce looked back at the screen, as the burglars seem to step out of a dark void. "Do you know who did this, S`lea?"   
"Aye, Sire," she growled, "return my sword, and I will rid both our worlds of the dark plague known in my world as Golnac."   
No one had noticed Dick, who had made his way to the Cave. He intended to apologize to Bruce, Tim and S`lea for his actions, when it hit him what Tim had said upstairs. "Bruce received the tapes from the security cameras of the museum almost 2 weeks ago, but hadn't gotten a chance to look at them till now." He pulled Tim back into a corner and asked him if they were alone. When Tim confirmed they were, he asked him straight out why, and Tim told him that Batman hadn't made an appearance since Dick was brought back to the Cave.   
"Wha-Why?" Dick found himself mumbling. "What about the 'job'? Has he flipped? What about his 'duty to Gotham.'?"   
Tim just answered back to the blank eyes that stared at him, "Until an hour ago, his duty to family took priority."   
Dick felt a sudden rush of reality. All these years he wanted Bruce to show he gave a damn. In his way, Bruce had tried, but it always seemed as if the city took priority. Now, Dick finally had gotten Bruce's undivided attention, and what happened? He threw it back in the man's face. Guiltily, he remembered the conversation with S`lea just a short time ago. **'No matter how often I apologize and how often he forgives me the scars of our words will always be there.**  
  



	6. Alone in a big world

  
Wings of an Elfin Warrior  
Chapter 6  
Alone in a Big World   
  
  
  
  
Bruce was in a heated argument with the young warrior about his duty and his problem when Tim led Dick back into the main cavern.   
"I cannot let you loose to gallivant across the city killing everyone you run into just so that you catch one man. This is my city S`lea!"   
"Not to mention his world," Dick added. Everyone turned to find Dick standing cross-armed over Tim's shoulder, as everything got quiet.   
"S`lea, there are rules we have to follow in this world, and the most important is to allow justice to be served by the judicial system. Not by us."   
"Then they are fools' rules. You allow the innocent pay for the crimes of the guilty by not seeing justice done immediately. In my world, we let the punishment befit the crime."   
"This is not your world."   
"He has armed himself with an army of soulless slaves," she growled back at him. "Those people are probably from your world," she announced. "They are dead, and they died a long horrible death all because of one soulless man. They relived the worst fears and moments of their lives. Their minds were tortured, the truth distorted to feed their pain until they were willing to do anything to rid themselves of the memories.   
"Very few have ever survived the grip of Golnac's Noctra. I know of only two, and even now they are plagued with the night dreams, so real that they cannot control their screams at nights. One even attempted to kill himself as he could not live with the memories. He rarely sleeps for fear if he closes his eyes the dreams will return. I was in search for this monster when I was pulled into this realm. I am going to kill this bastard and free all those of my world from his grip."   
"Not as long as he is in my world," Bruce growled.   
"Does it not matter to you that it is his magic that has turned your people into the un-dead, that it was his magic that created the monsters that took your son's sight?"   
"Back off, S`lea," Dick growled. "I am not a tool in your fight against this jerk. While you're in this world you play by our rules or you don't play at all."   
"When it comes to my family, Sir, I don't play," she hissed, completely overtaken by the Dar. "I don't play." Tim stepped back into Dick when her eyes changed.   
"Tim?" he whispered as he righted himself, "What's wrong?"   
At first, no one answered. Tim guided his brother backwards as Bruce did the same with Alfred and Leslie. "Tim? Bruce?" he asked again trying to get around Tim's protective arm.   
"S`lea? What did you do?" he growled, becoming agitated by the lack of answers. "Someone talk to me!" He nearly jumped out of his skin when Leslie came up behind him. "It's ok, son." she whispered with almost a sound of fear in her voice, "Come with me."   
"No!" Dick insisted, pulling away from her gentle touch. "S`lea, what are you doing? Someone tell me what is going on!"   
"Stay back, Dick! She's transforming!" Bruce yelled.   
"NO! S`lea, you swore your sword to me as long as my cause was just," he yelled as he broke free of his young friend's hands and began to fumble towards the area where he had remembered hearing her. "Maybe there are flaws in our justice systems, but not in our cause. Please ..." His words were interrupted by Bruce as he tackled him, sending them both to the other side of the Cave.   
The cavern began to fill with a strange but sweet odor as the transformation began. A fog completely enveloped her and began to grow as if a large curtain were being drawn upward. At first Bruce was stunned, in awe, of what he was seeing, but when he saw Dick stumble towards the gaseous wall he heart filled with anger and panic. He knew only that what was happening posed a danger to his only family and he would die before he would allow that to happen again.   
"Dick! NO!" He yelled out as he threw himself forward with everything he had. Both arms wrapped tightly around the young man's waist as he twisted so as to take the impact with the ground. Quickly checking to make sure Dick was ok, Bruce looked up to see Tim wearing a gasmask and throwing 4 pellets to the ground at the base of the already gaseous cloud, then tossing 2 masks at him both. Leslie and Alfred were not to be seen. He could only hope that they retreated upstairs. He actually held off placing the mask over Dick's face, of the young man who was still struggling to get loose, until he went limp in his arms. Then he waited. When the gasses cleared, there were only two people left standing. Two other lay unconscious on the ground.   
"I guess the transformation never completed," Tim whispered through the mask as Bruce quickly flicked on the recycle air vents trying to clear the gasses still in the air. "What do we do with her now?"   
"Put her in the infirmary. I'll close it off with a force field," he growled.   
"Will it hold her?"   
"I don't know. I guess we'll find out."   
"Let's get Dick upstairs, make sure I didn't hurt him," Bruce ordered, "then everyone is to stay out of the Caves until I'm sure it's safe." He looked up at Tim, "I mean everyone." Tim solemnly acknowledged him, then placed the young warrior on the med bed and stepped out of the area of the force field.   
"Dick's not going to be too happy when he wakes up."   
"He'll get over it," Bruce sighed, as he lifted the unconscious man. "By the way, Tim, you did the right thing, and more importantly, you acted quickly. I am proud of you."   
Tim looked dumbfounded staring blankly back at his mentor.   
A small half-smile crossed Bruce's face as he adjusted the weight in his arms. "I am sorry if I don't appear to recognize what you do, but I assure you, I do. Maybe if I had learned to say something earlier ... Dick ...Well...ah."   
An understanding smile crossed Tim's face as he broke away from the conversation and headed up the steps.   
"Thanks."   
  



	7. A matter of change

Chapter 7  
  
  
  
Dick awoke, nearly ten minutes later. He was either in bed again or the ground of the cave had been changed to down feathers. "Welcome back, sweetheart." Leslie whispered to him " how do you feel."   
  
"Tired," sounding more angry than sleepy.  
  
"That's gonna happen till all the knockout gasses clear your system. Do you hurt anywhere else."  
  
"I'm fine. Leslie where is Bruce?" he hissed, trying to sit up. "What did he do to S`lea."  
  
"Tim said she is still her elfin self, they have her behind a force field in the caves." She answered. "Everyone has been forbidden downstairs but I am sure she is fine she seems to have a way to heal herself if she is hurt."  
  
Dick assessed the situation he could feel the warmth of the heat coming through the vent. To the right of where he lay and the sound of someone messing with something on a nightstand beside him "I'm in my room?"   
  
"Yes,' she replied "Bruce brought you up about ten minutes ago."   
Dick slipped out of bed, Making sure he was still dressed and ignoring Leslies pleas to remain in bed for a while he guided himself to the door.   
  
" Where do you think your going young man?" Alfred insisted as Dick ran into him on his attempt to leave.  
  
"Where do you think." He growled trying to push by his surrogate grandfather.   
  
"My guess is back to bed. S`lea is still asleep, I went and checked on her right after Master Bruce left."   
  
Dick leaned against the heavy wooden doorframe "Alfred, Bruce is wrong she wasn't trying to harm anyone." He babbled "We can't keep her pinned up like some kind of animal. She was only trying to get us to understand. She told me, and I didn't catch on. She said she had to sometimes face her inner beast to make people understand. God I'm a fool. Alfred she told me out right."  
  
"Lad if you don't calm your self I will give you a sedative."   
  
"She told me." He insisted, "For some reason she feels her Dyeta, her dragon-self, can express better the needs of her soul. Alfred, she has done nothing but try to help me and when she needs someone to listen I panic."   
  
"I am not one to go against master Bruce's wishes, but I too feel as if I can trust her. I have since the day she brought you home." Alfred awed "when she is awake I will set her free. After all what is he going to do fire me? I wouldn't be the first time."  
  
"no this is my fault my responcibility I'll go" Dick persisted.  
"NO young sir you are going to stay here and get some rest. I will handle this."  
  
"Then I want to go with you."  
  
"Me too." Tim announced as he came running up the stairs ... "Where are we going?"  
  
"Down stairs to free S`lea." Dick informed him   
  
"Uh I don't think so. Bruce will kill us."   
  
"'Us' wasn't invited." Dick acknowledged, "S`lea is my responsibility. If I brought her through the portal as she thinks then I am responsible for her actions. Well go back to Bludhaven and figure out what this Golnac is doing.   
  
A "gasp" from Leslie broke up there debate.   
  
"Leslie?" Dick worried suddenly found two pair of hands holding him in place.   
  
"My Word" Alfred breathed.  
  
"COOL" Tim stressed. "Maybe she really is Vulcan."  
  
"Someone tell me what the Hell..."  
  
"Calm down Master Dick, it appears that we don't have to rescue the young miss she is materializing as we speak." This only seemed to make him more agitated.  
  
"No! Leslie, she told me it hurts her to do 'magic' There is know telling what the force field is doing to her." He announced. Sure enough as soon as she completed her materialization she collapsed in a convulsing heap on the ground. Tim still had a firm grip on Dick as both Leslie and Alfred moved in to help her.   
  
"Let them help her." The younger man whispered. "She is having some kind of fit."   
  
"Oh, god this is my fault." Dick whispered.  
  
"She is waking." Leslie announced. "Sweetheart, are you ok?" she whispered, to the wide Blacken Eyes looking up from the floor.   
  
"Hurts," She hissed Blinking back the unshed tears.  
  
"Is there something, we can do to help?" Leslie asked.  
  
"No. It will pass I..." she closed her eyes and went the limp in there arms.   
  
"Let's put her in the bed." Alfred stated.   
  
" I'll get her. Tim volunteered as he pushed passed them picking up the unconscious figure. By the time he turned around Dick had disappeared.   
  
He found him sitting at the top of the stairwell. He knew the look on his face. hell he knew the feeling. Dick's biggest problem was he cared too much, Tim never thought growing up that those words could be used in the same sentence that was until he became Robin. Dick seemed to be haunted by the feeling that he would never be as good as Bruce needed him to be, Dick needed to be everything to everybody. Tim felt the same way with Dick Grayson and Bruce the only difference between the two Robins was; he had Dick Grayson there to say. It's ok, just be as good as Tim Drake needs you to be. The visible pride and caring where the broad shoulders that kept Tim sane in their chaotic world. How sad that he never had that kind of balance to cling to. How strange he couldn't understand that those same shoulders that held up Tim Drake lifted Bruce Wayne in times when he couldn't see past the Batman.   
  
"S`lea is fine Dick. " Tim whispered, "She said she just needed rest. I think you could probably use some to it has been a long night Bruce should be home soon. Maybe we could all get a night's sleep."   
  
"No, I have to get her out of here." Tim, do you think you could drive us back to Bludhaven."   
  
"And why in the world would he do that your not going anywhere." The boys turned to where Leslie stood.   
  
"Leslie I have to, when Bruce finds out that she is loose he is going to go nuts. I can't put her through that and I don't want to fight with Bruce anymore." He admitted   
  
"Your not ready to live alone. Dick you haven't even been back to apartment since this happened." She objected.  
  
"Leslie I appreciate all you have done, but Bruce trained me to be prepared for almost any situation including this." He returned. "And to be honest I can't stand much more of this feeling."  
  
"And what feeling is that?" Leslie asked. Her soft voice comforting like a loving parent.   
  
"That everybody's watching me. That everyone needs to protect me. The feeling that I screwed up again. I always seem to let everyone down."  
Leslie wrapped her arms around him like only a loving mother could. The stress and fear pain and confusion was beginning to weld up and he was just too tired to fight it anymore he eventually fell into an unfit sleep against her shoulder at the top of the stairs of Wayne Manor.   
  
"Your shoulders are so strong." She whispered rubbing gently his back as she cradled him. "...but they were never intended to carry so much. Sleep now; baby. God willing tomorrow will be a better day.   
  



	8. Step into Darkness

Chapter 8

Wings of an Elfin Warrior

Chapter 8

Step into darkness

Batman stood within the great halls of the museum. Even after the security breech weeks ago, he had little to no difficulty getting in. He looked up at he newly replaced chandelier and skylight ceiling. He still wasn't sure how Dick survived after hitting the chandelier like he had. He replayed the scene over and over in his head, just as he had played that part of the tape in moments spent alone in the Batcave. He nearly lost another one. God, he nearly caused the death of yet another son. The reports said that the only things taken were some crystals … crystals which had been found in various parts of the world. Single crystals of various sizes, shapes and colors. The only thing they had in common was their unknown origins and configurations. 

He hadn't realized how much all this chaos had affected him until the security officer had managed to walk up on him without him even noticing.

"Batman," the old man smiled. "I know you probably don't remember me. My name is Tony. You got me this job. I heard what happened to your son, Night-something or 'nother. I hope he's ok. I know too well what's it like to lose a son."

"He's fine, Tony," Batman informed him. "Were you here that night?"

"No, sir," Tony mumbled, taking his uniform hat from his head. "Both the men who where here that night are missing, presumed dead. I was off that night. The cops said the film makes it look like they never saw it coming. Bob had a family." 

"I am sorry," Batman whispered. "Can you show me the locations of the rocks that were taken?"

"Yeah, I guess so," the older man agreed. "At least I'll feel like I did something to help catch those killers." He led Batman to a closeted room behind the displays of different types of rocks and crystals. There, they found a lab and many boxes of more rocks and stones of every shape and size imaginable. In the back corner next to a lab table were three empty boxes that were labeled "Unknown." Batman spent ten minutes looking around. It had been three weeks since the crystals had been stolen. It would now be like finding a needle in a haystack. Any clues that the cops did not have were probably swept away when the scientists returned to work. 

"The place was a wreck," Tony announced. "Boxes were thrown everywhere. These guys literally left no stone unturned," he laughed. "They even went through the displays. If it was a stone, they handled it." 

"That would explain the amount of people they used for this heist," Batman growled.

"I guess it would be too difficult to pick up the track so late in the game, huh, Batman?" No reply was given. Instead, the Dark Knight continued to rummage through the piles of rocks and pebbles. 

"Who are the scientists doing research in here?" Batman growled. "Where can I find them?" 

"Dana March and Theo Johnson. They're the museum's geologists. They were both on one of the expeditions that found two of the crystals." He showed him pictures on the wall. One was of a handsome black gentleman with a broad smile that showed his pride in the discovery that they had made. The other was of a middle-aged white woman who looked like she had been drawn into the picture kicking and screaming. The other pictures were much the same. However, in the last one, the woman held a crystal. It was as large as her hand with an almost metallic luster, yet is also seemed to maintain a crystal-like transparency. 

"The science teams usually get here between 0900 and 1700, sir. And now that the crystals are gone, they don't really hang out past that. They're planning to join another excavation team in Russia sometime soon."

"Have they found another crystal?" Batman inquired.

"Naw, they weren't looking for crystals when they found them. They were part of a paleontology excavation. They were looking for dinosaurs. Dana says they use geologists to date rocks so they can date the dinos."

"Were all the crystals found at dinosaur excavations?"

"Not sure." 

"Are there any other pictures of the missing or existing crystals that you know of?" 

**"No. Wait . . . there was one found in India, but someone said it was stolen a while ago," the elder man mumbled, reaching in his pocket as if looking for something"but, um, yea, here it is . . . " With that, he pulled out a medallion on a gold chain, a wedge of broken crystal wrapped in beautiful golden wire.    
  
  
  


"Dana's crystal broke only a short time before it was stolen. I found this shard of it a few days after it broke. I found it on the floor and was going to give it to Dana as a gift. I have no idea how it got broken. It was kinda funny 'cause it broke the diamond drill bit I was using originally. I had to settle for wrapping it in wire to hang it from the chain. I found it on the floor and was going to give it to Dana as a gift. But if you think it will help, you go for it."

Batman cradled the medallion in his gauntlet. It felt heavy for a piece of crystal approximately the size of a nickel. Suddenly the room seemed to swim and grow dark. Then a vast black void opened up in the middle of the room with such force that Batman was slammed into the wall on the other side. 

He saw a man step out of the void, a large man in robes of black and gray not unlike the knight's mantle that S`lea wore. The man laughed as the Dark Knight struggled to get his footing and stand again. But it was not to be. And then darkness claimed the Batman.

For Bruce, consciousness seemed to come and go. Visions of his dark past flashed before his eyes. Death was all around him, and darkness claimed him once again. 

***

When Dick awoke, he found himself alone. He got up and worked his way around the bedroom. Even in the darkness, he could tell he was not in his own room. The warmth from the midday sun beat through the drapes, and the bed was much too big. He heard the door open on the other side of the room.

"Good morning, Dick," Leslie whispered. "You'll find your change of clothes in the bathroom."

"Leslie? How is S`lea?" Dick asked, still trying to feel his way around the massive room.

"I am fine, Sire," the Meric knight announced as she stepped in the room. Neither of them sounded fine. They sound both tired and worried, he decided that it was just the end of a long couple of weeks for everyone. Leslie had probably stayed up all night to watch over S`lea. But after a moment of reassurance, he gave into Leslie's suggestion that he take a shower. 

He stumbled into the shower hoping the water would wash away the dark feeling that hovered around him. The hot water pounded relentlessly against his back and shoulders, but still something didn't feel right. Over and over, he replayed the last couple of days' events in his head, but nothing registered. He stepped out of the shower and quickly shaved and dressed. Then he realized exactly where he was and where he had spent the night.

"If I slept in the master bedroom, where did Bruce sleep? Or is he still ranting downstairs?" No one answered. Even a blind man could tell there was something wrong. 

"S`lea? Is something wrong?" 

Still no answer. 

"I know you're there, S`lea. Answer me!" he growled. "Is Bruce OK?"   
  
  



	9. Blind Legion

Wings of an Elfin Warrior

**Wings of an Elfin Warrior**

**Chapter 9**

**Blind Legions**

  
  


The haze that filled Bruce's mind was slowly opening to the bits and pieces of his shattered life. So much pain and yet it was easy to just watch it replay over and over again. It was easy because that was what he did every day of his life. That was what he saw every time he closed his eyes, every time he stopped to think. How many times had he heard the sound of the gun that killed his father, the clatter of the pearls, as they broke free from his mother's neck when the robber accosted her? He could almost count them and feel the sound of their silence as they died, leaving him alone in that dark, cold alleyway. But death is what is to be expected of life. He sees it all the time. He can't make it stop no matter how hard he tried he can't make it stop.

"That's right, fight it, Batman, or should I say Bruce Wayne?"

Bruce recognized the voice as the last sound he had heard just before he blacked out in the Museum. This must have been the man who injured Dick, the one S`lea called Golnac. He turned to confront the creature, but only saw more of his nightmares unfold.

"Fight it. The more you fight it the stronger, I will become." Echoed the voice.

That's when he realized that he had been unmasked. His identity was exposed to one of the deadliest men in Gotham, and he would have to face him not as Batman, but as Bruce Wayne. 

***

As soon as Dick found out that Bruce had not returned home from last night's rounds, he began to feel panic. He wasn't sure why. After all, they had all been known to disappear for days at a time, Bruce more so now that he no longer worked with the JLA. But this whole thing just felt wrong. He would have at least told Alfred that he wouldn't be home today if his disappearance had been planned. 

Barbara confirmed that he hadn't even turned on his tracking device last night and that he never reported to her where he would be. 

"That sounds about right," Dick muttered, "Do as I say, not as I do."

"That is a rule in this world?" S`lea asked.

"Just in Batman's world," Dick replied. "If any of us had done that, he would've hung our butts by the stalactites and left us there to think about our actions."

She just raised her eyebrows, still watching Tim as he continued to run data through the computer. It was only minutes later that Barbara returned to the screen. "Dick, I think we may have a lead, but I'm really hoping I'm wrong."

"What is it?" 

"GPD just received a call about another break-in. They're saying it's like the one you attempted to stop, only nothing was stolen. But they are missing the night security officers, and it appears as if there's been some kind of explosion in the Geology lab, like when the portal opened when you were there."

"S`lea?"

"I did nothing," she objected quickly.

"I didn't think you had. But do you know who might have access to the portal? Is there anyway to locate them? You said you traveled through them once before at the Lair of the Dragon Mage. Could they have been here in our world? Maybe it was they that called you through the gate before."

"No, it was you, Sire. Of that I am sure," she announced. "There have not been many who can travel through the doorways. But maybe…" 

Her momentary pause seemed to last a lifetime. "It was told many lifetimes ago that they traveled through portals to hide the Dragon's Teeth from the evil that was plaguing my world. It is said many of the Coven died in other worlds. Others did return with stories of worlds with magic greater than their own, and some even told of a world of wingless Dragons and fiery mountains. But many believed that they were tales to keep the evil from ever looking for, let alone, finding where they hid the teeth."

"Wingless Dragons? Dick, do you think they meant dinosaurs?" Tim thought out loud. 

"That would make sense. After all, where would you find dinosaurs now?"

"The museum," everyone announced at once. Tim's fingers flew across the keyboard. As he pressed "enter," a large picture of huge dinosaurs in a volcanic valley crossed the screen. Unlike the "rex" Bruce kept in the cave, many of these had long flowing necks and tails, not unlike S`lea's Dyeta.

"S`lea, what would you have called these if you had seen them when you crossed through a portal at that time instead of this one?"

"Wingless Dragons," she said excitedly.

"We call them dinosaurs. They're extinct now, but many thousands of years ago, they roamed this world." 

"The Dragon's Teeth. They searched for the Dragon's Teeth! Gods be kind, I must stop them! If Golnac returns to my world with the Dragon's Teeth, his evil will be unstoppable."

"I don't understand. What are the Dragon's Teeth?"

"It is recorded that our world turned upon itself. All creatures battled to the death. When the sun awoke, there was no one left to rebuild but a human/Elfin halfling named Cara, who turned out was a true Mage, and the greatest of all Dragons, Kylach. Our world would have ended there, but Cara sacrificed herself to rebuild life. She turned herself into a Dragon, and she and Kylach became the parents of the New World. Because she was not a true Dragon, the children were of all creatures. Human, elfin and of course, the Dragons, but the Dragons were no longer large creatures, but small like me."

"If you consider that small, I don't wanna know what you call big," Tim looked up, awed.

"Some as small as game in the woods. It is said that when the world was able to survive once again that Kylach died, and Cara turned his bones to crystal, forever harnessing the powers and the knowledge of this great creature, and then buried them deep within the mountains on an island off the coast of Meric. If one were foolish enough to go searching, the only thing visible (to those who are not of the bloodline to the Dragon Mage) were the teeth. Some of the teeth were as large as I, others as small as my fingers. 

"It is said that Cara bore nine more eggs, each baring a set of twins with all the power of the Old World. They would be the Dragon Mages, whose lives were to protect the children of our world and the magic of the crystal bones. It is said that some time during the Time of the Dark Sun, when the world was most vulnerable, a new set of twins would be born to continue this tradition of Guardians. But ours is a selfish people. For all the good born into the world, there is all too often a balance of evil. 

"In the time of the Quake, when the world should have celebrated the arrival of the next set of twins, an evil force found the cave, intending to bring the followers of the Right to the ways of the Dark by invoking the Dragon's Teeth. The Mages took all the Teeth they could carry and hid them within the portals of time. When they returned, they found that the creatures had shattered the larger Teeth, and the cave that had been held up by the great fangs collapsed on them. They died, but not before the thieves had stolen the egg that was believed to carry the next generation of Mages. 

"It is said that I was born of the stolen egg. I do not know nor do I care, for there are more than enough Mages to keep the world in balance. But because of my heritage, I have the protection of the Coven and carry a Dragon's Tooth within the hilt of my sword to protect me and to strengthen my powers."

"But you said the magic hurts, if you carry a tooth...?" Tim wondered aloud. 

"Hocus pocus is not the only magic in the world, Tim," Dick announced. S'lea smiled at her new friends, and then at Alfred, who seemed to blush with pride.

"Master Dick is right. Some of the most amazing things have been done by those not believed to have been of Sorcerer blood. Why, there is a story in my world where a young man not even your age lifted a large tree from a young woman who was pinned beneath it." 

Tim Smiled. "But how do you know the story was true?"

"Because I was the woman." She returned.

Dick seemed to be pulled in to the Elfin Warrior's story. His thoughts were shattered by the repetition of his name. 

"Dick?" 

"Yeah, Babs?"

"Do you remember the time when you were in the Parker's Field and what you found? The crystal? You don't think …?" 

"Is it possible?" Excited, the older boy scrambled to his feet. "Alfred, where's the costume I was wearing when I was hurt? The boots …?"

"They are in the uniform closet where they belong." 

"Bring me the boots." 

He anxiously searched them for the stone he had found that night. "Not here. I must've lost it in the fight." 

"I don't understand. What is it that you're looking for?"

"I had a good-sized crystal shaped like a very large canine tooth. I stuck it in my boot. It must have fallen out…"

"No," Alfred interrupted. "I found it when I cleaned it and put it in your treasure box in your room. You know, the one you started when you first came to live with us." 

"Alfred, could you…" Alfred was already halfway up the stairs when he hollered down, "I'll retrieve it."

"Babs, get the JLA on the line. Explain the situation. Tell them we need help. I need help. Bruce is in big trouble."

After a few minutes she came back. "No luck, Boy Wonders. Jon and Supes are off planet, Flash is on some hush-hush mission. There's only one-way communication there, so he checks in once every other day. The only ones left were Aquaman and Wonder Woman, and they said they were currently busy, but … but they were certain Batman was fine. After all, he has a plan for everything," she quoted sarcastically. "No luck with the Titans either. "

"DAMN!" Dick slammed his fist against the computer keys causing sparks to fly and the screen to squelch and blur a bit. 

"Dick, calm down." 

"Bruce, could be dead, Babs!"

"I do not care much for your comrades," Slea growled. "I can tell from your statement you do not totally believe what they told you."

"They don't trust Bruce," Dick informed her. "Most of them believe he betrayed them."

"Did he?" she countered.

"Not intentionally. Right now, that's not the problem. I have to find someone who can find Bruce."

"Then release my sword, Sire, and I will find him and rid both our worlds of this pox once and for all."

"I don't know where the sword is, S`lea. And even if I did and could give it to you, I will not allow you to kill him, and I sure as hell don't want him killing you."

"He will not kill me," she huffed. "Not without a fight. By that time, he will not be fit to ever hurt another."

"You said he could steal a soul just by looking at a man."

"No, I said he could steal a human soul. But I am not human, and any creature of the Marshlands knows that he only need to protect himself by invoking the Dar."

"Now, I am really confused," young Tim admitted. "I thought that Dar was a mechanism that prevented you from tarnishing your honor."

"Yes, in a way it is. You see when I am in a state of Dar, I am only able to see what I know to be true and do what I know to be right. I can only kill if the killing is just, and I can speak only what I know to be true in my heart." 

"I still don't understand."

"The Dar covers my eyes and blinds me to all but what I know to be true and just, so his lies cannot pass through to my soul."

"Are you telling me he can gain access to our souls through the 'seeing' eye?" Dick whispered as the truth washed over him. When S`lea acknowledged this, a smile crossed the young man's face. "So my condition gives me an advantage."

"That is so, just as the Dar shields my eyes, making me a difficult prey. Believe me, you do not want to experience the Noctra. Once inside your mind, he corrupts your thoughts. He can change your memories so that you fear all you know and change your reality so that your mind makes true your worst nightmare.

"After you have suffered to the point of complete mental collapse, he then offers you the only way out accessible to you. The first step is to give him your soul willingly, into which he will fill your gut with pitch and bile and turn your blood black with a slow and painful process called the Noctra. The second step is to kill your Self while he is still within your mind. Then your soul shares his poison, and you become one with him. You need only look him in the eye once, and he can claim you."

"Like Joey," Dick whispered. 

"I am sorry. I do not know Joey. I just know that you and I are the best hope your father has now."

"Even if I could find him how could I help him? I fought these creeps once. They kicked my--"

"Right now, Sire, your blindness is the strongest weapon you have," she growled. "That, and the Dragons tooth." She took the strange crystal that Alfred had returned with. She relished the warmth of it. Then, taking a small leather pouch from her belt, she placed the tooth in it and hung it around Dick's neck with the all the heart-felt honor one might bestow a medal upon a winner in the Olympics. He seemed to reciprocate in his unspoken acceptance of it. "It is yours, Milord," she stated. "Trust in the magic within yourself, and it will strengthen you."

"Wait," Tim interrupted. "What your saying is that if I close my eyes, he can't hurt me. Then I'm going too. It's not like he can see through our visors."

"Whoa, slow down, Tim. Golnac, isn't the problem. It's his warriors. They're already dead and strong as an ox. There were only a couple on the roof, and they nearly killed me. You're staying here." 

"Wrong. Even if you go, you're gonna need an extra set of seeing eyes. And there weren't a lot of volunteers the last time I checked. So, I am in."

"Ok, then. S`lea, there's just one question. If you say these creeps are already dead, how do we stop them?"

"You must break the connection to Golnac." 

"And how can we do that?"

"The easiest way is to sever their heads from their bodies," she explained.

Dick balked. "Uh, I don't think so. What's the next option?" 

"You must remember these creatures are dead." 

"Yeah, so you said. Is there another way to turn them off? If so, what is it?"

"Yes, if you apply a solid blow about here on the neck. Whether or not the head is severed, it will break the Noctra." She laid her finger just below the sixth vertebrae of his neck. 

"You're talking about breaking their necks," the blind hero argued. 

"I am talking about releasing their souls. They are dead already," she emphasized. "You are freeing their eternal souls, that is all. You cannot kill what is already dead." The silence seemed to echo through the room. It was as if the next comment had already been said.

"One other thing. If we are too late, I will have to take out the Shadow Walker." 

"No!"

"If he has been turned, and he is as good as you think he is, you will have no other choice. Remember those others that as you said 'kicked your ass?' Well, they were more than likely street urchins and such with no training and no will. He has been trained. He will be unstoppable if Golnac has him."

"OK! Ok, if he is … if it has to be done, I will do it," Dick sighed. 

"Sire, you will be no more willing to kill your father than I was to kill my brother. I just felt you needed to understand that it might come to pass. If it should come to that, I would be honored if you would trust me to save you from such grief."

"Hey, stop talking like we're too late!" Tim barked. "Let's get dressed. We have a fight to fight and a boss to rescue." As if on cue Alfred came down with stairs carrying a box which he handed to S'lea. 

"I took the liberty to make this for you, Miss, as I believed you would be with us for a while." Inside, she found a dark green bodysuit not unlike Dick's Nightwing costume in style, but also sporting a tunic. The belt was like the one that Batman wore, but on the buckle was a different emblem, a pair of black Dragon's wings."

"That's our Alfred. Always one step ahead of us all," Tim laughed. 

"I had feared that you would eventually be joining my boys in their endeavor, so I believe this too will come in handy." He gave her a mask that looked similar to the emblem on her buckle. 

Tim described what was going on to Dick as he pulled on his boots. 

"There's one problem, Alfred," he laughed. "What happens to the Kevlar when she changes to her Dyeta?"

"Her Dragonself is not much different than some of the forms that your friend Master Garfield has changed into. The Kevlar was made with similar elasticity, but should there be a problem, her tunic or mantel should cover most of her." 

"My hunting togs should be fine, sire, but I do thank you for your thoughts." S`lea acknowledged the man's gesture with a nod. 

"No," Dick agreed with the older man. "Alfred is right. This is not like your world. Some of our weapons are a bit more advanced than your sword. The material will work like an armor or shield."

"One other thing," Alfred added. "I know this is not your sword, but it is the best out of Master Bruce's collection. I only held your sword once, but I am fairly sure it is of similar weight." S'lea gently hefted the large weapon, then stepped out and swung it around as if she had held it all of her life. "It will suit me fine. Thank you." 

Dick stood slowly, looking blankly toward the area he knew held the uniforms. 

"Is something wrong, Master Dick?" Alfred worried.

"It's nothing. I just never thought I would be able to go in there again for anything more than a memory."


	10. Dragonwing

Chapter 10 

Chapter 10  Dragonwing by Cyndi Smith 

It wasn't long before they were on their way down the streets of Gotham in the Redbird. With Robin at the wheel, Nightwing took the backseat so he could give S`lea a run down what was allowed and not allowed in this world.

"Most important is that we are not allowed to kill or unnecessarily cause harm to a life form," he insisted. 

"At least those that aren't already dead," Robin added. 

Dragonwing, as Robin dubbed her, was more than willing to fight the battle by the rules of the Bat. She donned her mask while still in the vehicle they called the Redbird, still arguing it didn't look anything like a bird, and if could not fly like the Batwing, then it was a silly name.Other than that she had no real problems with the terms they told her about; it was an adjustment she realized she had to make for the safety of the others more than for herself. But then again, she was not the only one who had to make an adjustment. Both Nightwing and Robin would have to accept that the zombie-like creatures they would be fighting were dead and that they had to do whatever it took to separate the bond of Golnac's from his army. It made the decision easier when she explained to them that the bodies would disintegrate into a black goo when the connection was broken. They would not have to explain any bodies or injuries these creatures might sustain, including dismemberment.

"My guess is they're down in the sewage tunnels," Robin reported. When they reached their destination, they found that there was nothing more than an open field where a large church had once stood before the quake. They also found a large drain grate that had been bent open.

"I will go in first," S`lea announced. 

"Are you nuts?! I--" Robin voiced. "No one goes in there alone!"

"Your concern is not necessary, Robin. You will need a distraction. When I go into the tunnels, I will make certain he is aware of my existence in this world. Being from my world, he will sense the danger he is in. Coward that he is, he will send them to hunt me. As for Golnac, when he realizes who I am, he will want revenge, and I do so want to give him his chance. But if I have not contained him before he realizes you have the Shadow Walker, he will return with a vengeance.

Then those still standing will most likely join in the fight.They do not wander far from their master. Trust in the crystal it will strengthen your powers.

"What powers!"Dick growled.

"All your powers of the heart, including those of self pity. So choose wisely which ones you are going in there with for if you choose wrong you will not be coming out." 

You must get Milord Wayne out of that place and as far away as possible."

"I don't like this," Nightwing started to object, "but I don't suppose there's a way to prevent you from doing such a stupid trick." 

"You remind me a lot of Prince Dusty," S`lea smiled. "Worry not of your own hide, but let anyone else attempt such a -- what did you call it? -- 'stupid trick' and there will be hell to pay. How do you say it? 'Do as I say, not as I do?'"

"She's got you there," Robin laughed. 

"And what did he do to prevent you from doing such a stupid trick before?" Nightwing asked, giving Robin a Look that would have made Batman proud. "Or did he even try?"

"Oh, he tried, but it was only successful once." 

"Yeah? What did he do?" Tim inquired. 

"He took me to his bed," she answered. Both Nightwing and Robin were speechless. It was a few minutes before they realized they were staring at her. 

Clearing his throat Dick fidgeted as if he was sitting on tacks. "Uhmmm, ah, ok, so we do things your way."

S`lea smiled and winked at Tim, whose chin was still scraping the floor. "Stay safe, my friends," she grinned as she quickly headed for the broken drain grate. "And if God should choose this day to deliver our souls to another life, I pray we meet again." 

"My dad used to say, 'May we be granted a tomorrow for the things we do today,'" Tim said. "I kind of like that thought."

***

The pain in Bruce's heart was as bad as the invisible force that seemed to be trying to crush his head. Every moment of breath brought a wave of memories that ripped through him as a bear would gnaw on the fleshy meat of a steak. What price was he willing to pay for internal peace? The voices in his head cried out for help, but he would fail them as he did the others. And again he remembered. His mother's pearls, his son's shredded uniform, the feel of his family's blood as it soaked into his clothes. Burning through to his soul, he lived and relived every painful moment of his life. What price was he willing to pay to stop the visions of hundreds of thousands of people trapped within the gutted, shattered ruins of Gotham? The look of women as the gently rocked their dead children in their laps. What could he do?! The uncontrolled tears of a child as he held onto a dead hand. The only visible part of his father's body that lay under a fallen building. Every moment of his horrid life relived in a painful cycle as the words repeated themselves in his head: 

"What will you give to be free of the pain, to be free of the memories, to be free of the fire that is consuming your soul?"

***

"Bruce is sitting on the ground, rocking back and forth," Tim announced. "His cowl has been pulled back from his head, and he's cradling a body in his arms." 

Dick's stomach wrenched. "Oracle, do you copy? We have found Batman, and we are going in." He knew Golnac was messing with his mind, and if they didn't hurry, Bruce would lose his soul. 

"I copy, Nightwing," she returned, knowing the fear everyone on the case was feeling. "Just please be careful." 

"Will do," he returned, trying to fight back the anger he was feeling. "Do me a favor. If I don't make it back, tell Supes and the other League members that they are off my Christmas list."

"Not funny, Boy Wonder."

"Not laughing, Babs," he returned. Then Nightwing stood up and placed his hands on Robin's utility belt. There was only one chance to save their mentor. They had to break the spell and make him fight back.

"Bruce?"

Startled, Bruce looked up at the young Robin, then quickly grabbed the body he clung to and backed away. "Get away, Tim. Please go. I don't want you to die too. Please, I'm cursed. Please, run."

"Bruce, LISTEN TO US," Dick interjected. A look of pain crossed the elder man's face as he pulled away, dragging the unknown body with him.

Tim just led Dick closer. "Bruce is looking at you like he's seen a ghost," he informed his friend.

"Bruce." Dick tried blindly to reach out for his mentor. "Let us help you."

"Oh God, no, I'm too late," the Caped Crusader looked down at the man he cradled. In his mind's eye, he saw Dick Grayson, his flesh deathly gray, while his muddled mind was trying to make sense of everything. If Dick was dead and Robin and Nightwing were together then … "I've killed you all. God forgive me. I killed you all."

"Bruce, what are you talking about? We are not dead." 

He began rocking back and forth as if he hadn't heard him, cradling the body in his arms "Oh God, son, I am so sorry. Dick, please forgive me."

"Oh geeze, he thinks that dead man is you." Robin looked protectively around him. "God help us, Golnac has him."

"Bruce, that is not me. I'm alive! LOOK AT ME!"

"Not working," Tim whispered.

In a moment of panic, Dick grabbed Bruce's head and forced him to look at him. He couldn't see the look of total horror that crossed his mentor's face. A sudden warmth washed over him as he touched his mentor. It was as if everything he ever felt about the man whom raised him was being radiated by the crystal around his neck. "Open your heart, Bruce, and look at me."

"Aw man, it's not working. We're too late." Robin panicked

Dick pulled his mask off his face."Bruce, don't give up on me yet. I need you." Bruce's hand came up and gently stroked the face of the young man in front of him. 

"I think you're getting to him, Dick."

He was breaking through the bond that Golnac had tried to build. But by breaking the hold, he also bought wrath of the Devil himself on them all. Dick felt coldness stir deep in his bones. Something big was about to happen. He had to get Bruce and Tim to safety. He had to find a way to break the connection for good. He stood slowly, and in a voice not much above a whisper, he ordered his friends to safety.

"Robin, go. Get Bruce out of here now." Standing quietly, Dick replaced his mask. 

Suddenly a voice exploded behind him. "Release him. He is mine."

"Wrong, guess again," Dick smiled as realized the crystal was enhancing his other senses, he almost felt he could see Golnac as he turned to confront the demon. The darkness that emanated within this creature was so powerful he could almost picture the man in his head, and was suddenly grateful for the blindness.

"He is not yours to take. He hasn't given up, I can feel it. I know you can't have him unless he gives you dominion. I won't let you hurt him anymore." 

"How do you think you can stop me?" Golnac laughed.

Dick smiled. The truth was he had no clue, but everything Batman ever taught him about fighting blind was coming into play and the crystal began to burn as if it were becoming a part of him or he apart of it.He could feel the presence of others in the room, and in his mind he could see the evil he knew he had to confront. It felt different knowing he would not be able to take the blindfold off and see the things he did right or wrong in this fight. It was different in that it was colder more frightening than anything he could imagine, and yet, at the same time, it was exciting. Somehow he felt as if he had an advantage over this creature. It all came down to this; he was more than willing to die for the man, who had raised him, but right now he planned living for him and that was something he was experienced in. 


	11. Confrontation

confrontation

Chapter 11 CONFRONTATION 

"Remove your mask and face me as a man, not as some kind of puppet," the human-like creature growled in a very inhuman voice.

Dick stood his ground.

"Oh please . . . Tell me that's not the line you used to get Batman to remove his cowl," Dick laughed. He shrugged his shoulders. The smile never left his face as he felt the air get thick as Golnac's impatience flooded the room. He could feel the creature's mind push at his as if he were trying to read him through the mask. Dick could feel himself waver from his original goal as panic edged through him. "No!" he thought to himself. There was no time for turning back now. He had to keep the man with him. No matter the cost, he had to give Tim time to get Bruce away from here.

"Oh, I get it. You want to see my eyes. I met an old friend of yours, Golnac. That is your name, isn't it?" He chuckled, teasing the creature by playing around with his mask, but not allowing himself to look directly at the fire that he felt building in the Dark One's soul. "S`lea told me that you needed to defeat a man through his eyes."

"S`lea is a fool. Her soul is pure magic," Golnac snarled. "She could rule the universe, yet is content being the footstool of a human ruler. I nearly had her once before, when I took the things from her that she loved the most. She would have given me anything to free them. Instead, I had to settle for this." He made a quick reference to the underground tunnel as if it were the world or at least the whole of Gotham. "Your world is dark and full of riches. I knew this was my destiny when I found these." Not knowing of Dick's blindness, he held out three crystals and waved them before him as if they were the keys to the universe. "I can live here with no difficulty. Soon Gotham, then the world."

"Don't bet on it, 'Golie,'" Nightwing teased. He was not sure what his opponent was waving before him, but the charm on his neck began to burn and felt as if it were attempting to push him away. "We've got enough sewage in our underground. You're more crap than this city needs."

"Enough! Remove your mask and give into me willingly, or I will remove it by force and see you die a slow and painful death, as I have done to your master, Batman!"

Dick could feel the heat of anger filling him, but he refused to let it control him. Bruce was all right he had to be. He just needed time, and that was what he was doing, stalling for time. He was still unsure of his next move when he began to giggle. "Ok, if you want my mask so badly you can have my mask. Not that it matters. You kinda took care of that the last time we met." He continued to smile as he removed the small cover completely away from his eyes. As he lifted his head to face the darkness, he tossed the mask in the direction of the voice. "Here, Is there anything else I can do for you?" The flying mask knocked the crystals from Golnac's hand. They scattered in three different directions. Two of them even rolled into a crack in the concrete.

Golnac raged with anger when he realized that not only had he lost his crystals, but the boy's eyes were of no use to him as a dark soldier. He swung out his fist, attacking the boy over and over with pure hate, but Dick just blocked the swings. Golnac was not as powerful a fighter as he was a sorcerer, or whatever he called himself. It was obvious why he used the creatures that protected him. It only took one hit from the blinded hero for Golnac to figure out he was no match for Nightwing, even a blind Nightwing. So he took the next step and released the soldiers he did on the young hero. He may not be able to recruit him but he can be just as useful to him dead.

Soon, there were hands and feet swinging from everywhere. The goon squad had arrived. Dick's hands were full. He could feel the evil that was Golnac move back, quickly being replaced with flashes of emptiness, a kind of unholy darkness. He prayed he had given Robin enough time because it looked like it was all he would be able to give. 

"Hang in there, bro. I'll come back for you," Robin mumbled as he dragged the larger man behind a wall. He could hear the sound of fighting echoing all throughout the chambers of the underground duct systems that used to house much of the old city's drainage. Now, though, it was relatively dry and housed much of the old city, rubble from the fallen buildings and walls of ground that appeared when the earth had quaked. The walls of this place didn't look very sturdy, but then again, none of this area looked very steady. It may have been the reason for the "No Trespassing" signs that were posted everywhere. He would have to get them out of there soon, he surmised, as the walls' creaking made a strangely familiar death song.

"Batman, listen, I have to go back and help Nightwing," Tim announced, pulling the cowl over Bruce's pale face. "You have to keep your lens down no matter what. When you feel a bit steadier, go up top, the Redbird's there. I'll get Nightwing and Dragonwing. We'll be right behind you." 

"NO!" Bruce tried to snatch his arm, but whether it was the quick movements or pure fear, something sent him into a coughing fit. The next thing Tim knew, Bruce began regurgitating gobs of whatever had nearly infected his body. It was as black as his cape and as thick as jelly. Tim could only hope that was a good sign, but for now it meant Dick and S`lea were on their own. 

Dick never liked being at a disadvantage. Normally, ten-to-one odds would not be a disadvantage. The only way to stop these guys was to break the neck of the creatures, and if you can't see the neck, you pray for a lucky break; blind didn't mean useless, just inventive. He had to let them in his field of fight to get a chance at their necks. He couldn't move any great distance since he was in unknown territory. He could listen and hear their feet scraping the floors and deep inside, he felt as if he could judge the size of the area they were fighting in by the echoes. Unfortunately, these dead guys didn't make any other sounds to let him know how many were coming or how many there were. There were also many echoes from adjacent caverns. The biggest plus, if he could call it a plus, was that they stank. So if he wanted to know where they were, he just had to follow his nose. He easily flipped over one man, but before he could make his next move, another was at his back. His fist struck the opponent square in front of him, forcing the creature to back up. Nightwing then stepped backwards into the swing of a club wielded by another dead man. The club missed him and hit his previous attacker. Then with moves as quick as a blink, Dick reached back, gripping the man's head and yanked. With a sickening snap, the beast's neck broke, and the creature turned to goo in his hands. The hardest mental exercise was remembering these guys were already dead. As S`lea put it: "You are not killing them; you are setting their souls free."   
  
  



	12. Sword of justice

Sword of Justice
    
    Wings of an Elfin Warrior, beta
    
    Chapter 12
    
    The Sword of Justice
    
     
    
    From where Barbara sat, it was as if the world had slowed down to such a pace that even the hands on the large clock tower stopped moving. She 
    
    Could hear the fights as they continued.S`lea and Dick were in separate parts of the tunnels. Each were getting as good as they gave. And Robin, poor Robin, was feeling useless. Oracle's attempts to locate Azrael or Batgirl had not been successful. The Huntress and Black Canary were on assignment, together. That in it self could be disastrous.Still this was one oracle that believed in miracles and often found herself praying for them.She needed a vacation, maybe when things slow down her and Dick could go on a cruise or something...(See there she goes praying for miracles again.)
    
     
    
    Robin knew he couldn't leave Bruce alone and unattended.He decided to 
    
    Try and drag him to the Red Bird.Bruce would be safe there and he could return to help Dick."Come on Batman I need your help.I have to get back to Nightwing," he mumbled."Lets get you topside."
    
    Batman struggled to stand, quickly going down to his knees." No!"He snapped, "Go to Nightwing.Get him out of there.I'll be right behind you."
    
     
    
    The thought of Nightwing fighting blind in the shambles that was once part of the sewage systems was finally occurring to Bruce.The wrong move and Dick could be seriously hurt or killed.The walls of the tunnels were crumbling.Even if he survived the fight, what were the chances he would be able to safely find his way out of there without help?
    
    "You can't even stand."Tim rebutted, "I can't leave you here.What 
    
    if you get sick again?""
    
     
    
    Bruce looked up.It was a look that Tim, and every Robin before him knew well, it usually saved for the bad guys."Now!" he growled.It was all that was needed.Robin grabbed his staff and returned to the tunnels.
    
     
    
    S`lea was experienced at the freeing of souls of the damned.It was a ritual that took place in the wake of Golnac wherever his black heart would stray, but it never truly made it a simple thing to do.To relieve a man or woman of their head was never meant to be easy for anyone who respected life, but she knew the Noctra.She knew what it did to a soul, and this made her work easier.
    
     
    
     
    
    She made good use of the blade that Alfred had given her to substitute for her own.It was a fine blade indeed but not like hers.She wanted to remember the feel of her blade.She would bring an end to the terror forever.She was tired of playing this game.It was time to bring the fight to Golnac, since he was obviously not coming back to the fight.She swore her sword to his lordship Nightwing.Despite his skills he was still in danger as long as he was alone; and the voice from the device in her ear told her he was still alone.She would never be able to look Mistress Barbara in the face again should anything happen to her friends because of people from her world.
    
    If Dick had lasted this long he was truly a warrior of great strength of heart and mind, but she knew that eventually even his strength must wane. She reached the other section of the tunnel just in time to see Nightwing, struck by one of his opponents so hard that the man was knocked into the wall.He fought valiantly to stand but was hit again and slipped helplessly to the ground.At that point he might as well have been a ball because the creatures began to kick at his motionless body.
    
     
    
    Robin reached the cavern where they had found Bruce, to find an enraged
    
    Dragonwing beheading three of the hapless creatures at one time.He watched as they turned into a puddle of slime at his feet."gross" He muttered as he blocked his first attacker and quickly retreated to check his surrogate brother.Dick was out for the count.He had a gash on his head that was nearly in the same place the last injury was."Man I don't wanna be you when Doc Leslie finds out about this."He whistled still ignoring the battle going on beside him.He finally turned and joined the fight but could not bring him self to make the "killing" blow.
    
     
    
    S`lea understood the reluctance that the child was feeling.His mentor had trained him well.The life of others was not to be taken lightly.Still he could not remain here without being willing to cross that line, without becoming a hindrance to the cause.
    
     
    
    "Take his lordship back to the vehicle.Get the Shadow Walker and his son far from here I will handle this."
    
     
    
    The words had no sooner left her mouth than she was struck by a blow to the head that buckled her knees.Tim struck out at the creature that landed the lucky blow.Still his anger was not enough to make the kill but it did give the elfin warrior time to regain her footing and rejoin the fight.
    
     
    
    Tim managed to keep them away from Dick, but their strength seemed to be multiplying.No sooner was one down when two others replaced it.An illusion?Maybe, but things were getting more difficult with every blow they dealt.The first blow that connected with his chest nearly took him off his feet.He couldn't find his breath but he was afraid to stop fighting, for fear that they would be able to further hurt the currently defenseless Nightwing.He blocked the next blow with his staff.Then planting it firmly on the ground he gave the next two goons a good look at the bottom of his feet, leaving his slime covered footprint across their newly broken noses.The warriors that they fought continued to come no matter what he threw at them.He hurt in places he didn't realize could hurt and his staff felt as though it weighed a ton.Finally, his energy sapped, he dropped to his knees.He was barely able to look up, only to see what was to be the killing blow.He would never be able to block the strike.But before it came to be the creature seemed to stop in motion.
    
     
    
    Tim fell backwards as a sword appeared where the creatures' neck was, and then the body evaporated, joining his brethren in the large puddle that was growing on the ground.Above Tim stood Batman.He was looking about as good as Tim felt at this point but it was the best thing this bat-brat had seen in a long time.
    
     
    
    Tim never thought Bruce could be more intimidating as the Batman than he had been for as long as he knew of him.Bad guys would normally run at the thought of him.That was yesterday this is today. The old Batman was a wuss compared to the Batman he watched now.The man he was seeing was tired scared and injured.He was the proverbial bat in the corner.
    
    Bruce was fighting like a man possessed.** Bad choice of words** he 
    
    thought, but truly the best description.
    
     
    
    The heat of the determination in the man's face made him look somehow different, or maybe it was sword.He was fighting with S`lea's sword.
    
    Its silver blade seemed to glow in the man's hand.It moved almost as if it had a life of it's own.Robin was lost in the moment, the good guys were winning the dead not as many as they seemed before.The useless kicks and punches where now used as delaying tactics until the sword made it's move.
    
     
    
    Batman moves were hypnotic: he seemed to dance with the blade.His every move was so smooth and seamless.It was as if he had been doing it all his life, instead of the opposite.
    
     
    
    Batman was brandishing a lethal weapon and using it.Still stunned by the sight of it Tim didn't really realize he was gawking till S`lea knocked him back down intercepting a blow that should have claimed his head.
    
     
    
    "Robin, Take Nightwing, and flee."She growled.
    
    He turned to find Nightwing wobbling behind him."Dragonwing, Batman has your sword."Tim announced as he supported his friend heavily against his shoulder.
    
     
    
    "I know.I sensed them awhile ago." She paused only a moment to watch as the man whom she had come to know as a reluctantly caring man wielded her weapon with the zeal of all of her home world's greatest warriors."He does neither it, nor me, any dishonor in its use. Now find your way to safety. God speed.
    
     
    
    Dick leaned heavily on his young friend; the pain exploding inside the area his head used to be was making it impossible to stand erect.He heard the clash of weapons as the impacted around them.He heard S`lea issue her orders to get him out of the war zone.He wanted to object but had neither the strength ability left to fight.He knew things were about to get uglier, if it was possible, but he was no use to anyone.Apparently the only thing holding him up sounded, by the grunts and groans, like an injured Robin.
    
     
    
    They were slowly making their way away from the sounds, when unexpectedly the pressure in the room changed.Dick stifled a scream as his head felt like it might implode. The pressure was as if someone opened an airtight door in a pressure chamber.He began to feel a tingling sensation throughout his body. The same sensation he felt when he got blown into the wall at the museum, only bigger.Someone was opening a portal.
    
     
    
     "EVERYONE GET DOWN!"He shouted, tossing Robin down like a broken crutch. Covering the kid with his own body, he absorbed the impact of the darkness as it exploded open.He could feel Tim go limp under his weight. Then he began to hear the unstable area creek and grumble as the grounds around them began to shake.It must have been what it felt like when Gotham was experiencing the Quake.The world felt as if it was being pushed and pulled in every direction possible. To be honest he wasn't really sure the quake wasn't happening allover again. Dick could hear the walls in other tunnels collapsing in.The thunder of their destruction was echoing around them.
    
    Then suddenly he felt a change.As the darkness faded, curiosity took its place.Instinctively he looked up and felt strange.He knew he should have not been able to see anything, but he did. There was a great light opening above them.He could see it. Blurry, but he saw it. He could also make out the walls crumbling around them. He looked over to glimpse the shadow of Batman pulling an unconscious silhouette of Dragonwing over to where they were.
    
     
    
    "The walls are coming down Batman."Nightwing hollered, again covering the boy he thought of as his brother. "Look out."
    
     
    
    Batman saw the ceiling collapsing with the last bit of strength in him he threw himself and his cape over S`lea and the others as the ceiling began to fall on top of them.The world exploded around them or at least that's the way it sounded.The world shook and shook hard.He was too late.
    
    They would all be trapped and die amongst the ruins of the City he loved. The pressure in his head was horrific, and he felt as if he were caught within the walls of a hurricane as the world came down around them.He was certain his skull would implode.Many years he had defeated Death, many years he struggled and trained himself not to give in to its ever embracing tentacles.Now there was nowhere else to go; it had finally caught him. Then suddenly the world went black.
    
     
    
     
    
     


	13. Safe within the Darkness

Safe with in the darkness
    
    Safe Within The Darkness
    
     
    
    Wings of an Elfin Warrior
    
    Chapter 13
    
     
    
     
    
    Time was irrelevant. They could have been unconscious hours or even seconds, at this point the former Boy Wonder didn't care. It was quiet again. The pressure was gone, nothing left but a dull ache and some ringing in his ears, and that felt pretty good at the moment. Pain is a great indicator that you're alive. Suddenly he felt movement on top of him.
    
     
    
    "Batman are you ok." Dick whispered
    
     
    
    "I am Fine, son."
    
     
    
    "I'm not." Robin grunted. "I have three full size adults on top of me."
    
    Batman rolled himself and Slea off.Nightwing quickly followed still laying on the ground, plagued by nausea and flashes of lights in his head.
    
     
    
    " There really are times I wish you guys were not so protective of me." 
    
    Tim announced holding tight to his ribcage as he attempted to stand up. Looking around lost, he began to sniff at the air.
    
     
    
    "I'll remember that the next time I go to save your as..." Dick quipped still unable to even sit up.
    
     
    
    "Does anyone else smell Alfred's minestrone soup?" Tim interrupted, quickly gaining his footing and wandering away.
    
     
    
    "Ok, so I may have hit you a little too hard, but I still saved you're a..."
    
     
    
    "No, he's right that does smell like Minestrone," Batman acknowledged, moving to check their unconscious warrior turned vigilante. "Someone want to explain this costume? And why..."
    
     
    
    "We're in the Batcave." Tim exclaimed, having followed his nose a little deeper in the darken crevasse they had woke up in.
    
     
    
     Dick got up so quickly his head spun and he went back to ground, hard. 
    
    "Go get help." Batman ordered.
    
     
    
    "No I'm Okay. I just got up too quick."
    
     
    
    Batman quickly removed his cowl and rolled the boy onto his back, noticing the head injury nearly in the same spot his last head injury had been before."OH, Leslie's not going to like this." He exclaimed.
    
     
    
    "Well it wasn't done for decoration." Dick objected groggily.
    
     
    
    Instinctively Bruce checked Dick's eyes for signs of a concussion. 
    
    "Dick?"
    
     
    
    Dick didn't reply he just smiled.
    
     
    
    "Son how many fingers do I have up."
    
     
    
    "Three" Dick smiled as a fuzzy smirk crossed Bruce's face.
    
     
    
    "Now?"
    
     
    
    "Two, if you don't count the two Tim has over your head."
    
     
    
    "You can see? When? How?"Bruce stammered, ignoring the ecstatic cheers coming from his young counterpart.
    
     
    
    "I'm not really sure everything that just happened... happened so fast. 
    
    I remember sensing Golnac's opening of the Dark void.I dropped Tim and after the explosion when I raised my head, I saw you carrying S`lea. Everything is fuzzy, but right now it's the best I have. What about S`lea, Is she Ok?"
    
     
    
    "I think so she got blown against the wall." Batman acknowledged. Then the whole tunnel began to crumble and the next thing I know, we where stacked up like bags of grain and then we were here."
    
     
    
    Slea started to stir as if awoken from a deep sleep.Dick slowly turned on his side he realized this is really the first time he really looked at the woman who had saved his life the first time he wasn't sure what he was seeing. She was attractive in her own way.The beautiful long auburn hair that accented her sharp features she wore in a large braid that was draped through a cowl that almost looked like it was chain mail and her costume was silver Green and Gold. "How are you feeling Dragonwing" Dick whispered.Throwing his hands up as if to say not me. He couldn't stop giggling when he noticed Bruce's reaction to the Name. "Alfred had the costume made and Tim gave her the Moniker," he explained, finally managing to push his way up to his elbows and leaned against the wall.
    
     
    
    "I am alive." She whispered, also trying to sit up."But Golnac has fled again."
    
     
    
    "We know.Do you know where?"
    
     
    
    "I can not be certain, Sire." She admitted groggily."He seems to have gained control and knowledge of a very powerful crystal and it him. I have never felt anything so dark in my life.Where are we?"
    
     
    
    "In one of the remote caves under the Manor." Bruce replied," I am not sure how we got here.Is it possible that you unconsciously opened a portal?"
    
     
    
    "Not I, It was his lordship Nightwing." She insisted rubbing her temples to coax the throbbing in her head to go away. "He considers this a safe place."
    
     
    
    "Uh I don't think so. " Dick asserted, not remembering much of the time when she brought him to the caves the first time. "I still think S`lea must have been homing in on something else before. If I had my druthers I would be home in a nice warm bed. Besides I don't think I have ever been to this part of the cave before."
    
     
    
    "It would have to have been you, the Shadow Walker. You were the only two with the crystals at the time of the opening. "
    
     
    
    "I have no crystal the shard I did have was taken from me."
    
     
    
    "My sword has a crystal within its hilt." She told him then closing her eyes she held her hands outward with her palms up. Her magic began to bring light all around them Her eyes began to moisten then slowly as she opened them showing the slowly change with the Dar.Then her hands began to shake violently when they suddenly filled with a great light and then the light was replaced with the beautiful sword
    
     
    
    Still leaning against the wall she collapsed against it as if sapped of all her strength, but still aware of those around her. "I dropped that in the cave when the walls began to collapse" Bruce admitted."How did you...?
    
     
    
    " I told you, there was no doubt I would find my sword," she explained
    
     
    
    "Then why did you not do that earlier when you needed it." The kid objected 
    
     
    
    "They would not release it. My sword was sworn to His lordship Nightwing. Out of respect to him I couldn't take it from Shadow Walker who took it from me, to have taken it without his knowledge or agreement would have been breaking my oath."
    
     
    
    "I never heard him give it back to you." Tim objected.
    
     
    
    " Remember there are things that are said that are not heard by your ears."
    
     
    
    Both Nightwing and Robin where struck by the realization at the same time. "His heart." 
    
     
    
    Batman neither confirmed nor denied it as he stood over the threesome.
    
     
    
    "And what was your last thought before you dropped it? Your lordship."
    
     
    
    "I uh. "
    
     
    
    "Honest thought, sire." She insisted.
    
     
    
    "I thought ... I was...afraid I was going to loose my sons...my family…again." He admitted collapsing next to her he took the sword in his hands and held it just as S`lea had cradled it moments before. "I wanted to hide them from the danger just as I would hide when I was a child. Deep in the caverns...here...in one of the safest places I had known."
    
     
    
    "And it brought you here." she announced"just as you requested."
    
     
    
    "It could not have been me... I had to put the sword down to pick you up."
    
     
    
    "I can't believe you picked it up in the first place," Dick acknowledged. "Man would I have liked to have seen that. You really were fighting with that?"
    
     
    
    "The sword accepted your will when you picked it up in defense of your City and Family. It would not have let you do harm to those you were not willing to kill." Slea continued, never noticing the effects of the words she just said to the man with the sword. "Wield it sire just as you did in the cave. It will not bring harm to any of us."
    
     
    
    "NO, Batman whispered, "This is not a toy." He growled, returning it to her hand as if it had burned him. He started to rise and leave but before he could stand the light coming from the tunnel entrance was blocked by a large shadow.
    
     
    
     


	14. darkness in a different light

Wings of an Elfin Warrior Normal cyndi 2 82 2001-11-10T08:24:00Z 2001-11-10T08:24:00Z 8 1885 10745 89 21 13195 9.2720 

Wings of an Elfin Warrior

Chapter 14 

DARKNESS IN A DIFFERENT LIGHT 

"MY WORD! Look at you, four," Leslie gasped. 

They all turned to look as Alfred and Leslie walked up behind the group of carrying medical supplies.

  Tim had come running into the main Cave, hollering for help. She and Alfred were still awaiting word on the rescue. They had barely acknowledged seeing the boy before he was gone again. But Alfred seem to have no problem tracking the boy only to find four very ragged and battered vigilantes.

Leslie immediately went to Dick's side. Alfred, on giving Tim a brief check, surmised that the boy had at least bruised two more ribs and was going to have one heck of a shiner to explain when he returned to Brentwood Academy. S`lea was already mending and Bruce was an uncooperative patient, as usual. So everything was back to normal. 

Leslie acknowledged Bruce's suspicions that Dick may have a concussion. They would have to get pictures to make sure he had not re-fractured his skull. Bruce picked up the one-time Robin against his prideful will and carried him to the med lab again. It was going to be at least another hour before they got medical reports on all of them. 

Bruce found himself standing alone in the lab, but wasn't sure for how long. He felt so tired and confused. His mind was filled with flashes of what had just happened. Batman had taken a life. NO -- he had taken *several* lives. 

What was it S`lea said? 

"The sword accepted your will when you picked it up in defense of your City and Family. It would not have let you do harm to those you were not willing to kill." 

It was true; he had wanted to kill the demons that had attacked his 'sons' and he still wanted to eradicate Golnac -- the demon that brought them to his world. 

He decided to take a shower while waiting for word on Dick's condition. Maybe he could relax enough to think. Maybe the water could wash away his nightmare. 

His mind was still filled with all the horrors that

Golnac had made him live, and the things he hoped in his heart were only a bad dream. 

The spacious walk-in shower was constructed with multiple shower jets that sprayed from multiple angles. Bruce turned them all on by voice-control. 

"Shower on. Jets 1 through 24," he whispered. 

The water was normally kept at 110 degrees Farenheit. Bruce hoped the temperature would help cleanse him of the inner pain he was feeling as well. It wasn't working. The water pelted his bare skin from every direction but the tension only built within him as the room filled with steam so thick he couldn't see the glass shower door.

"120," Bruce growled, ordering the temperature to increase. 

He lifted his face to the shower's spray hoping it would wash away the rogue drops of water coming from his eyes, but it wasn't working. He had trained his body to tolerate extreme heat and cold, and he began to wonder if perhaps he'd trained it too well. He looked down at his own body, the heat of the water and the redness of his skin accented his many scars, scars that were just reminders of his many mistakes. 

"130," he screamed out. Maybe he was losing his mind.

Vision after vision began to flash in his head until all he could think of doing was scream... Slamming his fists repeatedly into the wall, he yelled as if his sanity depended on it. 

"AAUGGGHHHHHHH!" 

"Your lordship, you must get control." 

Bruce had not even noticed S`lea enter the shower. Unlike him, she still wore the main part of her costume. Her eyes were covered by the Dar. She tried to turn off the water but knew the computer would not respond to her voice. Instead she tried redirecting the angle of the showerheads, only to have them be readjusted by the computer. The steam was stifling and the heat was barely tolerable, even with her costume's protection. 

"Sire, turn off the waters please." 

"I can't..." he growled, raising his soap covered hands as if there were something she should see. 

"I can't get their blood off my hands. 150..." 

"Request denied," the computer responded. 

Bruce had forgotten the failsafe. 

"There is no blood, sire. Not on your hands or any of ours. Only Golnac can accept that claim. You killed no one." 

"I did, I wanted them dead," he growled. 

Bruce's large hands dragged through his hair and stopped -- as if he thought that if he could squeeze hard enough, he could make everything go away. The floods of unclear, surreal memories were pelting his mind as hard as the water. "Make it stop. God, make it stop." 

"I cannot sire; only you can. Accept the truth." S'lea watched his every move as if anticipating, even knowing before him, what he was about to do. "Sire, turn the waters off before you are injured. You have done no wrong." 

"150," he hissed, his skin already scalded red from the heat. 

"Request denied," returned the computer. 

Bruce screamed as if he would not accept that answer, then swung his fist wildly, at first at the walls then at Slea. 

Instinctively she ducked around him, but in doing so he slipped and his fist went through the glass door. The rest of him might have followed had she not wrapped her arms wound his bare waist and pulled him backwards. Bruce struck her twice before she was able regain her balance. S'lea slipped behind him once again, but before he could react she placed her hand over his eyes and he collapsed. She attempted to guide his wet, slippery body to the ground, but it proved too difficult. His massive size took them both to the ground, hard.

S'lea kept her hand over Bruce's eyes, trying desperately to shut down his mind as she had Nightwing's. She was unsuccessful, managing only to render him unconscious. 

Bruce's mind was still working and fought her attempt to shut it down. She needed help or he would die. She knew that if the others had not been able to hear his screams, hers, too, would go unnoticed. 

Bruce had cracked one of her ribs when he struck her, making it difficult for her to breathe. She managed to pull herself on top of him and struggled to inhale. This was not his fault. Something was terribly wrong. It had been a long time since she had to work so hard to shut down a mind. The man she had come to know as Bruce Wayne was feeling more aguish than anyone should bear, and his grief was so strong that his mind pushed her away even when his body couldn't. S'lea finally had to break her connection with him or risk being pulled into his nightmare. 

Her body fell to the ground beside him. Her breath coming in shallow gasps. S'lea was forced to use her magic to redirect the scalding streams of water. Even through her bodysuit, the heat was scorching and the steam was stifling. The use of magic wracked her body with pain but she shakily fought it off. 

Bruce lay face down in the water that was rapidly changing to a crimson hue. S`lea was able to pull him onto his side. Sweat, water and blood rolled quickly off his body. She was grateful that for now, his heart, mind and soul were unaware of the darkness that lay dormant inside him. She tried once more to clear his mind. S'lea held her hand over his eyes again, only to be violently pushed away by the internal suffering that was building within an already tormented soul. 

S`lea felt her Dyeta take shape. It had not been her intention, but she was too weak to prevent it. She gathered Bruce's unconscious body into her arms to prevent crushing him in such close quarters as she transformed. In her dragon form she was not affected by the heat of the water. This was a good thing, since she could no longer hold back its forces. Even in her stronger, transformed state, she couldn't fight off the darkness. She reached out the only way left to her. 

"Alfred, we need you." 

Alfred had returned to the med lab with a tray of effortlessly balanced cups of broth and tea. He passed them around to his young charges.

"No fracture," Leslie announced. "At least none that were not there earlier." 

"Great," Dick exclaimed, slinging his legs off the med bed.

"Oh no you don't," Leslie barked. "You still have a concussion. I want you to lie here for a little while.

Drink your lunch and after a bit I'll let you go up the elevator to your bedroom."

"But...but," Dick began. 

"I find it best to just do as the good doctor says,Master Richard," Alfred advised. "After all...," 

Alfred suddenly turned sheet-white as a wave of nausea seemed to overtake him. The tray crashed to the floor as his knees buckled beneath him. Luckily, Tim caught him before he fell. 

"Alfred, what's the matter," Tim asked. 

"S`lea," the older man whispered. 

"What about S'lea?" 

"She says m...Master Bruce is in trouble." 

For the first time, Dick realized that Bruce had not been there since he and Tim were taken to the lab for x-rays. 

"He was going to get a shower," Tim announced as Dick sprinted by him. 

Dick reached the locker roomand saw that it was totally engulfed in steam. 

"BRUCE," he screamed as he ran to the shower. But when he got there he was unable to get in. The entryway was totally blocked by a large wall of leathery skin. 

"Holy shit," he yelped as his bare feet skidded across the broken glass on the floor. Ignoring this new pain, Dick gaped at what he could make out as a large lizard-like creature stuffed into the shower. 

"Slea!" Tim exclaimed. 

"That's..." 

"Slea..." Tim nodded.

"Her Dyeta?" 

"Dear God." 

Dick and Tim turned to see Leslie and Alfred standing behind them. 

"Where is Master Bruce?" 

Dick turned back to the creature in the shower. "Slea...," he whispered, moving his injured feet carefully around the broken glass to the large beast squeezed within the confined space of the shower. "Can you hear me?" 

"Turn off the water--please," Slea said, in a much deeper voice than he remembered her having. 

"Water off," he screamed over the panic that was building within him. "Slea, what did you...what happened? Where is Bruce?" 

"He is safe...for now. I have him cradled within the folds of my skin. It's the noctra, Milord. It is growing inside him. He attacked me and put his hand through the door." 

"Is that why you transformed?" Dick asked her. 

"I don't know. I think I-- I couldn't stand the heat of the water. I believe it was what you call instinct." 

"Computer, what was the temperature of the water before shutdown?" 

"140 degrees Fahrenheit." 

"Dear lord," Leslie exclaimed, "was he trying to burn his skin off?" 

"His skin is still quite hot," Slea reported. 

"TURN THE COLD WATER ON," Leslie screamed out. 

Alfred repeated her request so that the computer would respond to the command. "Computer shower heads 1-12 at 96 degrees." 

"Slea, can you change back?" Dick asked. "We have to bring his body temperature down." 

"I am trying to..." she growled, "I am...trying."

"Calm down, S`lea," Leslie coaxed. "We know you're trying. It's just that normally our bodies cannot take that much heat without protection. And even if he were able to absorb it, he must cool down or his body will begin to boil in his own sweat. Can you get some of the cold water to him? Please try." 

"I-I - I" 

A scented cloud of smoke began to arise. They all recognized it as some kind of reaction to her magical change. They couldn't pass the wall of smoke, but as it cleared they found human forms unconscious on the ground. Leslie ran to Bruce while Dick moved to S`lea's side. 

"S'lea's not breathing," he announced as he tilted her head back, placed his mouth over hers and breathed into her still form. 

" Tim! Help…" Dick ordered between breaths.

Tim quickly checked for a pulse, hoping that her body was as human on the inside as it now appeared on the outside.

There was no sign of a heartbeat. .

Together they commenced CPR. On the fifth set of full breaths and compressions, her body arched upward and she began to choke on the moist fresh air in the room. She S`lea looked confused up at Dick's gentle face., her confusion evident in her statement.

"I saw death," she whispered. "I saw him and accepted his terms…My life to free his Lordship. How can you… Why am I still here?"  

Dick grinned. "I don't accept those terms, not like that and I know Bruce would feel the same way. 

"You can not interfere with death" She objected. 

Yes I can!" He returned At least in this case I can. Look I have lost a lot in my life, family and friends alike. I could have very easily given up the day my parents died but to what end? Bruce taught me that the world will go on, with or with out me. He also taught me there are some things I can't prevent or change, but this I could change or you would not be here. I like to think I make some difference somewhere weather it's in you life or mine. I decided along time ago that I would not allow death to steal from me what is mine as long as I can prevent it."

" I am not yours." 

"Yes you are. You are my friend … my sister-in-arms…. And besides, your sword is promised to me, remember? I might still be in need of it," he smiled. " It would be pretty hard to keep that promise if you're dead."

S`lea just stared blankly back at him. 


End file.
